int retries = 5; while (retries-- >= 0) { try { retries = -1; System.IO.File.Delete(@"C:\deleteme.txt"); } catch (System.IO.IOException ex) // "The specified file is in use." { // File is locked? Sleep and try again. System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100); // Wait 100ms if (retries >= 0) continue; // go back to while loop throw ex; // give up } } This will also work for writing to a file, etc. This should be enclosed in a try/catch block to catch the other exceptions thrown by the System.IO.File.Delete method.