Help Center

Handle Office lock leftovers (~$ and *.tmp) causing read-only or save errors

When opening or editing a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file in OmniStor Drive, you see:

  • The file is read-only and you can't edit
  • You can't save after editing
  • "File is already open by another user" message
  • A coworker says they've closed the file, but it still looks locked to you

Cause

Microsoft Office creates temporary lock files in the same folder when editing, to prevent simultaneous edits:

  • Files starting with ~$ (for example, ~$report.docx)
  • Files ending in .tmp

Normally these are deleted when Office closes. But if Office crashes, the machine is force-shutdown, or the network drops, these files can be left behind — and the next person to open the file sees a stuck lock and read-only mode.

Solution

Step 1: Close All Open Office Apps

Make sure no Office app is running on your computer:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. End any Word, Excel, PowerPoint processes.

Step 2: Delete the Leftover Lock Files

  1. Open the affected folder in OmniStor Drive.
  2. Show hidden files: in File Explorer's View tab, check Hidden items.
  3. Find files starting with ~$ or ending in .tmp.
  4. Confirm they aren't files you're actively using, then delete them.
  5. Reopen the original file — it should now be editable.

Step 3: Can't Delete Locally? Use the Web Client

If File Explorer can't delete the leftovers ("file in use" error):

  1. Open the OmniStor web client (Navigate).
  2. Navigate to the same folder.
  3. Find and delete the ~$ or .tmp leftovers.
  4. Back on the local OmniStor Drive, restart Drive (taskbar icon > Exit > relaunch).
  5. Try opening the original file again.

Still Having Issues?

If the steps above don't help:

  • Confirm the file isn't actually open on another user's machine. Ask them to close it.
  • Admins can check the OSM user log to see who last locked the file and help unblock.
  • If unresolved, contact your admin to clear the lock server-side.

Prevention

  • After editing an Office file, fully close the app — don't just close the window.
  • After a crash or network drop, check the OmniStor Drive folder for leftover lock files.
  • For collaboration, use OmniStor Office to edit online and avoid lock conflicts.