How to Delete or Restore Files in Google Drive

Have you accidentally deleted some files in your Google Drive account? Here's how you can easily recover them.

It becomes imperative to erase the existing data in Google Drive to free up storage space. Google Drive lets you delete files temporarily or permanently and restore them if you delete them accidentally while clearing some space.

This article describes how to delete files in Google Drive and restore them if necessary.

How to Delete Files in Google Drive

To delete files in Google Drive, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to your Google Drive account.
2. Select the file you wish to delete.

3. Right-click on the selected file and select Remove.

   

By following the above steps, you will delete the file from your library that moves it to Google Drive's Bin. It stays there for a month before Google Drive permanently deletes it.

It is necessary to manually delete files from the Bin when you wish to permanently remove them instantly, instead of waiting for them to be automatically deleted after a month. Here is how to do it:

1. In the left-sidebar, click the Bin option.
2. From the Bin, select the files you want to delete permanently.

3. Right-click on the file and select Delete forever.

   

How to Restore Deleted Files in Google Drive

In the same way that you deleted the files permanently, you can also restore deleted files from Google Drive's Bin. All you have to do is right-click the file and select Restore.

Similarly, you can bulk-delete or bulk-restore the files in Google Drive by following the steps outlined above. The only difference is that you have to select all files beforehand by holding CTRL then clicking on each one to select it.

Considering the flexibility of sharing documents and other features Google Drive comes with, it can be your go-to collaboration platform. To know more about it, check out our article on how to easily collaborate on Google Drive with online annotations.

Quickly Delete or Restore Files in Google Drive

Google Drive allows you to delete or restore files individually or in bulk. The ability to restore deleted files is limited to 30 days from the date of deletion. After that, the files are removed from the Bin. Be careful what you permanently delete from the Bin.

If Google Drive is your go-to cloud storage drive, securing it should be your top priority.

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