BitTorrent is one of the most popular peer-to-peer file-sharing tools. First launched in 2001, BitTorrent rose to popularity in the late 2010s. In recent times, many users have found BitTorrent error the process cannot access issues while attempting to download files from the tool. This error can cause interruptions in downloads of the files through BitTorrent. If you are also wondering why do I get a the process cannot access file in BitTorrent? The reasons can be varied for this. Read this article to fix this issue.

How to Fix BitTorrent Error the Process Cannot Access in Windows 10

There can be multiple reasons for BitTorrent error while downloading files. Some of the possible reasons are mentioned below:

• Errors due to interfering applications
• Errors due to Microsoft Defender
• Errors due to the download folder
• Errors due to antivirus program
• Errors due to the location of the download file
• Errors in BitTorrent client

The following guide will provide you with methods to fix BitTorrent errors.

Method 1: Restart PC

The basic troubleshooting for any issues would be restarting your device. This would easily fix any temporary glitches. Follow the below steps.

1. Press the Windows key and click on the Power option.

2. Select Restart.

Method 2: Restart BitTorrent

If the BitTorrent client is attempting to write on a file that is already opened in another application, it may cause process cannot access errors. This issue can be resolved by restarting the BitTorrent client. Following are the steps for restarting the BitTorrent client.

1. Hit the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously to open the Task Manager.

2. In the Processes tab, right-click on the BitTorrent process.

3. Then, select the End task option.

4. Now, open the BitTorrent app again.

Also Read: Fix The Process Cannot Access the File error on Windows 10

Method 3: Close Interfering Processes

When the current folder of the torrent is open in a file indexing tool, it may cause problems while downloading the file. If a third-party application is attempting to write data on the same file as BitTorrent, the BitTorrent error the process cannot access can occur. To avoid this, you may want to close all such interfering applications on your PC. If manually closing the apps does not work. You can follow these simple steps to end the background tasks. Read our guide on How to End Task in Windows 10 and implement the same.

Method 4: Add Exclusion in Windows Defender

To resolve BitTorrent error the process cannot access problem, you can also try to whitelist the download folder from the Windows defender. To whitelist the download folder, you need to add an exclusion for the particular folder. You can perform this by following these simple steps.

1. Press Windows + I keys simultaneously to open Settings.

2. Click on Update & Security setting.

3. In the left pane, click on Windows Security.

4. Click on Virus & threat protection.

5. Under Virus & threat protection settings, click on Manage settings.

6. Scroll down to the Exclusions section and click on Add or remove exclusions.

7. Now, click on Add an exclusion and select Folder.

8. Select the folder where you want to download the file.

Also Read: Fix Qbittorrent I/O error in Windows 10

Method 5: Add Exclusion in Antivirus Program (If Applicable)

If your antivirus is causing errors in downloading files, you can try adding an exclusion in Antivirus Program to resolve this BitTorrent error the process cannot access issue.

Note: We have shown the steps for Avast Free Antivirus as an example.

1. Open Avast Antivirus and click on the Menu option at the top right corner.

2. From the drop-down list, select Settings.

3. In the General tab, go to Blocked & Allowed apps.

4. Under the List of allowed apps section, click on ALLOW APP.

5. Now, click on ADD, corresponding to the BitTorrent path, to add it to the whitelist.

Note: We have shown App Installer being added as an exclusion below.

Method 6: Disable Windows Defender Firewall (Not Recommended)

Microsoft Defender, using Real-time Protection, scans all the downloading files for possible malware or any such threats to your PC. Sometimes, a BitTorrent download can be interrupted by the Microsoft Defender. To resolve this issue, you can try to turn off the Real-time Protection on your system. Read our How to Disable Windows 10 Firewall guide to disable the Windows Defender firewall on your PC safely.

Once the issue has been resolved, ensure to re-enable the Windows Firewall. A device without a security suite is always prone to malware attacks.

Method 7: Temporarily Disable Antivirus (If Applicable)

If you are using a third-party antivirus, the antivirus may be causing BitTorrent error the process cannot access. One of the measures to avoid this issue is to disable the antivirus program from your PC. You can follow these simple steps to uninstall an antivirus program from your computer safely. Read our guide on How to Disable Antivirus Temporarily on Windows 10 and implement the same.

Once you have downloaded the file, re-enable the antivirus program. A system without a security suite would be vulnerable to virus attacks.

Note: You can also uninstall the antivirus program, but it is not recommended.

Also Read: 15 Best uTorrent Alternatives Available

Method 8: Redownload File Outside Cloud Folders (If Applicable)

If you are still confused about why I get a the process cannot access file error upon attempting a download from BitTorrent, you may want to check where your files are being downloaded. If your download folder is located in a Cloud folder such as OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, then you may want to change that. You can avoid this error by saving the download outside the Cloud folder, preferably on C: drive. You must reload the torrent file and remove the current download to execute this. You can follow these steps to remove the current download from BitTorrent.

1. Press the Windows key, type BitTorrent, then click on Open.

2. Right-click on the current downloading torrent file.

3. Then, click on the Remove And option.

4. Here, select Delete .torrent + Data.

5. Click on Yes in the confirmation prompt.

6. Now, double-click on the file that has to be downloaded and choose a different location, apart from any cloud storage location.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Why can’t I download files from BitTorrent?

Ans. There can be many reasons for BitTorrent not downloading files, such as an interfering application and issues due to Windows defender.

Q2. Can I save BitTorrent downloads on Cloud folders?

Ans. Yes, BitTorrent provides you tools to save your downloads directly to Cloud folders.

Q3. How to remove files from BitTorrent?

Ans. Select the file and press the Delete key to delete the file. You can also remove the file from Recycle Bin.

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We hope this guide was helpful and that you were able to fix BitTorrent error the process cannot access issue on your computer. Comment down and let us know which method worked for you. Also, if you have questions, queries, or suggestions, feel free to share them with us.