Coding⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-05-31

How to Fix: Error: Execution failed for task ':app:clean'. Unable to delete file

Error in Android Studio Gradle project rebuilding process due to unable to delete file exception.

Quick Answer: Try deleting the .idea folder and cleaning the project again, or use the 'Delete Cache' option from the Run menu.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 🛑 Root Causes of the Error
  2. 🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps
  3. 🎯 Final Words

The error you're experiencing is caused by the Android Studio Gradle project not being able to delete a file that was generated during the previous build process. This can happen when there are multiple versions of the same library or dependency in your project, causing conflicts.

🛑 Root Causes of the Error

  • Multiple versions of the same library or dependency in your project.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Method 1: Cleaning the Project Directory

  1. Step 1: Close Android Studio and navigate to the project directory in your terminal or command prompt.

Method 2: Deleting the .class Files

  1. Step 1: Open a terminal or command prompt in your project directory and run the following command to delete the .class files:
rm -rf app/build/intermediates/exploded-aar/com.android.support/appcompat-v7/23.0.1/jars/classes.jar

🎯 Final Words

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the error and rebuild your project successfully.

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