To delete a file in Google Drive, go to drive.google.com, right-click the file, and click Move to trash. To recover it, click Trash on the left, right-click the file, and click Restore. Files stay in the Trash for 30 days before Google deletes them forever.
This guide covers deleting files on a computer and in the Drive app, what happens when you don’t own a file, restoring from the Trash, permanently deleting files, and the options Google offers after a file is gone from the Trash. The steps come from Google’s help articles on deleting files in Google Drive and recovering a deleted file.
How to Delete Files in Google Drive
- Go to drive.google.com and sign in.
- Right-click the file. To delete several, select them first, then right-click one of them.
- Click Move to trash.
Result: The file moves to the Trash. Google notes that anyone you shared it with can still open it until it’s permanently deleted, and that files in the Trash still count toward your storage.
If you don’t own the file
You can only delete files you own. For files someone else owns, Google shows Remove instead. That takes the file out of your Drive, but the owner and other people with access can still use it. For steps that start in the Docs app, see how to delete a Google Doc and get it back.
Delete a file in the Drive app on iPhone or iPad
- Open the Google Drive app.
- Tap More (three dots) next to the file.
- Tap Remove.
Result: The file goes to the Trash, just as it does on a computer.
How to Recover a File From the Trash
- Go to drive.google.com.
- Click Trash on the left.
- Right-click the file and click Restore.
Result: The file returns to its original folder. Google suggests sorting the Trash by Trashed date to find something you deleted recently.
In the Drive app, open the menu, tap Trash, tap More next to the file, and tap Restore.
How to Permanently Delete Files
- Everything in the Trash: open Trash, make sure there’s nothing you want, then click Empty trash › Delete forever.
- One file: open Trash, select the file, and choose Delete forever. In the app, tap More next to the file, then Delete forever.
Google warns that when you permanently delete a file you own, everyone you shared it with loses access. If others still need it, make someone else the owner first.
Can You Recover a Permanently Deleted File?
Sometimes. Google offers a few options after a file has left the Trash.
Request recovery from Google
Google’s recovery article includes a Request file recovery button that sends your request to an automated recovery tool. Google says it can help if you’re certain the files were permanently deleted from your Drive Trash within the last 25 days and you’re the owner, meaning you created or uploaded them or accepted ownership. You’ll be asked to confirm your identity, and the results arrive by email.
Google adds that permanently deleted files from Gmail, Google Photos and WhatsApp backups can’t be recovered this way.
Ask your administrator (work or school accounts)
If you use Drive through work or school, your administrator can restore Drive data deleted from your Trash within the last 25 days, according to Google Workspace admin help. The restore covers everything deleted in a chosen date range, may take several days, and restored files need to be shared again.
Deleting Files With Drive for Desktop
If you use Google Drive for desktop to stream or mirror files, Google says anything you put in the trash on your computer goes to the Trash everywhere. Restore it from the Drive Trash on the web if you delete it by mistake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting a file free up storage right away?
No. Files in the Trash still count toward your storage until they’re permanently deleted, so empty the Trash if you need the space now.
If I delete a file someone shared with me, is it gone for everyone?
No. You can only remove it from your own Drive. The owner and other people with access keep it.
More Google Drive Guides
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.