SuperDelete
Staff PickVerifiedOpen SourceDelete long-path files on Windows (CLI and GUI)
www.navanem.com/projects/superdelete-long-path-file-deletionLast updated: June 2026
A free, open-source Windows utility that removes files and folders blocked by the 260-character path limit. SuperDelete handles extended-length paths up to 32,767 characters via the native Win32 APIs, from both a command line and a modern WPF desktop app.
About
SuperDelete is a free, open-source Windows utility for deleting files and folders that Explorer and most tools refuse to touch — the ones blocked by Windows' legacy 260-character MAX_PATH limit. Anyone who has hit a "path too long" or "file name too long" error when trying to clean up deeply nested node_modules trees, build artefacts or backup folders knows the frustration.
SuperDelete bypasses the limitation by calling the Win32 file APIs directly with the \\?\ extended-length prefix and Unicode functions, supporting paths up to 32,767 characters. It ships in two forms: a scriptable command-line tool and a modern WPF desktop application with drag-and-drop, a recent-paths dropdown, dark mode, live progress tracking and a preview step before anything is deleted.
Built with C# on .NET 8 around a shared class library, it can optionally bypass ACLs to remove locked items when run as administrator. SuperDelete is released under the Apache License 2.0 and is created and maintained by Emanuel De Almeida in Geneva, Switzerland.
Positioning
SuperDelete is the focused, open-source alternative to bloated "PC cleaner" suites and fragile robocopy /mir empty-folder tricks for one specific, recurring Windows pain: deleting paths longer than 260 characters.
- Purpose-built — Solves the long-path deletion problem directly, not as a side feature of a larger cleaner.
- CLI and GUI — Scriptable for automation, friendly for one-off cleanups.
- True extended-length support — Native
\\?\Win32 calls, paths up to 32,767 characters. - Safe by default — Preview before deletion, with optional silent mode for automation.
- Free & open source — Apache-2.0, no ads, no telemetry, no upsell.
What You Get
- Deletion of files and folders that exceed the 260-character
MAX_PATHlimit - Support for extended-length Unicode paths up to 32,767 characters
- A command-line tool with flags:
--silentMode(skip confirmation),--bypassAcl(remove ACL-blocked items),--printStackTrace(detailed error output) - A modern WPF desktop app with drag-and-drop and a recent-paths dropdown
- Dark mode, live progress with file/folder counts, and an activity log
- Preview capability before deletion
- Optional ACL bypass for locked items (requires administrator rights)
- Pre-built releases, or build from source with
dotnet build SuperDelete.sln -c Release - Self-contained executables available — no .NET install required to run them
Core Areas
Long-path file deletion
Removes items blocked by the Windows 260-character limit via native Win32 APIs
Command-line automation
Silent mode and flags for scripting cleanups in CI, scheduled tasks and admin scripts
Desktop experience
WPF GUI with drag-and-drop, recent paths, dark mode and live progress
Locked-item handling
Optional ACL bypass for stubborn, permission-protected files and folders
Safety
Preview-before-delete and clear activity logging to avoid accidental removals
Why It Matters
The 260-character path limit is a decades-old Windows constraint that modern development workflows hit constantly. Deeply nested JavaScript dependency trees, generated build outputs, and layered backup structures routinely produce paths that File Explorer, PowerShell and even del simply cannot remove — leaving developers and sysadmins stuck with undeletable folders.
SuperDelete turns that recurring dead end into a two-second task. By talking to the Win32 APIs the way Windows itself does internally, it deletes what the built-in tools cannot, while staying safe with previews and transparent with logging. It is free, open source and works from both a GUI and the command line, which makes it equally useful for a one-off cleanup and for fully automated maintenance scripts. For anyone who maintains Windows machines, it removes a genuinely annoying class of problem for good.
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