Google Drive, one of the most widely used cloud storage services, offers convenience and accessibility. However, it’s important to understand how to permanently delete files. Whether you’re concerned about privacy, need to make more space, or want to tidy up your Drive, knowing how to delete files permanently is crucial.
This article discusses how to permanently delete Google Drive files on the web and the Google Drive mobile app. You can watch the video below or continue reading the article.
Also read: How to select multiple files in Google Drive?
Permanently delete Google Drive files on the web
If you use Google Drive more frequently on your desktop and want to delete files permanently from your Google Drive then follow the steps below:
Step 1: Click on the file that you want to delete. You can also select multiple files by pressing the Ctrl button on your keyboard. After selecting files, click on the Trash can (Delete) button.
Step 2: After deleting the files, click on the Bin tab. The bin stores the deleted files for 30 days, in case you need them again, so to delete files permanently, you need to delete files from the bin.
Step 3: If you want to delete all the files from the bin then click on the Empty bin button, otherwise select the files that you want to permanently delete and click on the Trash can (Delete) icon.
Step 4: Click on the Delete forever button to confirm your action.
Permanently Delete Google Drive Files on the mobile app
The steps are quite similar to deleting files permanently on the Google Drive web interface. So, if you know how to delete files permanently from Google Drive on the web, then it won’t be hard for you to learn how to delete files from the Google Drive mobile app. Here are the steps:
- Tap and press on the file to select it; you can select multiple files by tapping on them. After selecting files tap on the Trash Can (Delete) icon.
- Tap on the Move to Bin option. As we mentioned earlier, the bin holds files for 30 days and automatically deletes them after that. So, if you wish to delete files permanently before that period, you have to delete them from your bin.
- Tap on the Hamburger icon at the top left corner of the screen.
- Now, tap on the Bin option.
- f you want to delete all the files from the bin then you can tap on the Empty bin option, otherwise you can select the fils that you want to delete from the bin and then tap on the Trash can (Delete) icon.
These steps will help you permanently remove unwanted files from your Google Drive, ensuring they don’t occupy space or pose a potential security risk.
Also read: How to stop getting spam on Google Drive?
