How to delete a write-protected image file?

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Android Central Question

There is one image file on my phone that I cannot open, delete, move, or rename. It says that it is write-protected. I am trying to transfer my photos from my phone to my computer via USB cable.

I have turned debugging on and off. I have changed it from media device to camera. I have (carefully) tweaked the registry. I have right-clicked on the file and gone to "Properties." There are three tabs across the top: General, References, Details. The file is not marked as read only, but it cannot be opened, moved, changed, or deleted.

The file does not show up in the gallery on my phone. It is only found once I connect it via USB to my computer through the computer's File Explorer. Searching the phone with the phone's search does not find the file.

Any help to delete this file would be appreciated.

I am using a Samsung Note 3 (which still works great) and a Windows 10 PC.
 
There is one image file on my phone that I cannot open, delete, move, or rename. It says that it is write-protected. I am trying to transfer my photos from my phone to my computer via USB cable.

I have turned debugging on and off. I have changed it from media device to camera. I have (carefully) tweaked the registry. I have right-clicked on the file and gone to "Properties." There are three tabs across the top: General, References, Details. The file is not marked as read only, but it cannot be opened, moved, changed, or deleted.

The file does not show up in the gallery on my phone. It is only found once I connect it via USB to my computer through the computer's File Explorer. Searching the phone with the phone's search does not find the file.

Any help to delete this file would be appreciated.

I am using a Samsung Note 3 (which still works great) and a Windows 10 PC.
Hi, if you make a account here me or other members would be happy to assist you .
Can you take a screenshot of this file?
 
After you find the file using Windows File Explorer, on your phone use your file browser to find the same file. From there you should be able to delete the file or at least view the file attributes.
 
Welcome to Android Central! Also, just to be sure, this file is on Internal Storage and not on the SD card?
 
After you find the file using Windows File Explorer, on your phone use your file browser to find the same file. From there you should be able to delete the file or at least view the file attributes.

I've tried using the phone's file browser, but nothing shows up. The file only appears on my computer.
 
When viewing on your PC, are those special characters part of the file name? What's the file extension? When you say it's write protected, do you mean you also tried via your PC?
 
When viewing on your PC, are those special characters part of the file name? What's the file extension? When you say it's write protected, do you mean you also tried via your PC?
I think what OP means it doesn't show on the phone but pops up on the PC when phone connected by wire under phone and lt says it's write protected . Looks like a picture screen shot from Instagram.

I'm thinking it's more issue have to find on the phone itself. Just haven't had time to go over this work at the moment . If you have suggestions see what u come up with.
 
Last edited:
Yes, those characters are part of the name. There are also blank spaces in the file name. It's a .png file. The file only shows up on my PC when I connect the phone and the PC says that it cannot delete it because it is write protected.
 

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