Deleting Google Drive: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Deleting Google Drive can be a daunting task, but it's actually quite straightforward once you know the steps. You can delete your Google Drive account, but you'll need to understand the consequences first.

Deleting your Google Drive account will also delete your Google Photos, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. This means you'll lose access to all your files and documents stored in these services.

Before you start the deletion process, make sure you've backed up any important files or documents to an external drive or cloud storage service. This will ensure you don't lose any crucial data.

To delete your Google Drive account, you'll need to sign in to your Google account and go to the Google Account settings page.

Deleting Files

Deleting files from Google Drive can be a bit tricky, but it's essential to know how to do it properly. You can't just move files to the trash and expect the space to free up, as Google Drive doesn't permanently remove deleted items.

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To delete files, you need to select the items you want to delete and click on "Empty trash" > "Delete forever" in the trash folder. Alternatively, you can right-click on the items and select "Delete" to permanently remove them.

If you're trying to free up space in your Google Drive account, you'll need to manually empty the trash folder, as deleted items will be permanently removed after 30 days. If you want to delete shared files, you'll need to access the Shared With Me folder and select the files you want to delete, then remove them and permanently delete them from the trash folder.

Here's a quick rundown of the steps to delete files:

  • Select the files you want to delete
  • Click on "Empty trash" > "Delete forever" in the trash folder
  • Alternatively, right-click on the items and select "Delete"

Deleting Free Up Space?

Deleting files might not be as straightforward as you think, especially when it comes to freeing up space. If you delete files from Google Drive, your storage usage might not change right away.

Google Drive doesn't permanently remove deleted items, it collects them in the Trash folder instead. This allows you to restore them if you need to, but it also means you need to manually empty the Trash folder to free up space instantly.

You might be wondering why this matters, but trust me, it's a game-changer when you're running low on storage. If you don't manually empty the Trash folder, deleted items will be permanently deleted after 30 days.

How to Permanently Delete

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To permanently delete files from Google Drive, you need to move them from the Trash folder to the "Deleted forever" section. This is because Google Drive doesn't permanently remove deleted items, but instead collects them in the Trash folder.

You must manually empty the Trash folder to free up space instantly. If you don't, the deleted items will be permanently removed after 30 days. To empty the Trash folder, select Trash from the Drive menu, then select Empty trash > Delete forever.

If you want to delete a single item or a selection of files and folders, you can right-click on them to find the delete option. This works the same way on the web and in the Google Drive app. To delete multiple items at once, you can select them all and then click on Delete forever.

To delete shared files, you need to access the Shared With Me folder, select the files you want to delete, and click on Remove. Then, go to the Trash folder and select all the files to delete them forever.

If you're having trouble deleting files from Google Drive using the built-in methods, you can consider using a third-party software like Wondershare InClowdz. This app allows you to manage cloud drives, migrate data across cloud drives, and sync cloud drives for backup purposes.

Capabilities

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Deleting files can be a complex process, especially when you're not sure what actions you can take on a particular file. To check the capabilities of a file, you can call the files.get method with the fileId and the fields parameter set to the capabilities field.

You can determine whether the current user can move a file to trash by checking the capabilities.canTrash field. This field will be true if the user has the necessary permissions.

If you're trying to restore a file from trash, you'll need to check the capabilities.canUntrash field. This field will be true if the user can restore the file.

You can also check whether the current user can delete a file by looking at the capabilities.canDelete field. This field will be true if the user has the necessary permissions.

If you're working with folders, you'll want to check the capabilities.canRemoveChildren field. This field will be true if the user can remove children from the folder.

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Here are the capabilities fields for folders:

These fields will help you determine what actions you can take on a folder and its contents.

Managing Google Drive

Managing Google Drive is a breeze, and with the right tools, you can easily delete files and folders from your account. You can access Google Drive from both the website and the mobile app, making it convenient to manage your files on the go.

To delete files from Google Drive on your mobile device, you'll need to open the app and put the file in the trash folder. This will temporarily remove the file from view, but it's still accessible to others who have shared access to it.

One of the challenges of deleting files from Google Drive is that others can still view them even after you've moved them to the trash folder. To prevent this, you'll need to delete the file permanently.

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If you're using an Android or iPhone, you can follow these steps to delete files from Google Drive: Open Google Drive, select the file you want to delete, and tap on the trash folder. Then, tap on "Empty Trash" to permanently delete the file.

Alternatively, you can use third-party software like Wondershare InClowdz to manage your cloud drives and delete files from Google Drive. This app allows you to migrate, sync, and manage files across multiple cloud drives.

Here are some of the features of Wondershare InClowdz:

  • Migrate cloud files from one drive to another
  • Backup files from one cloud drive to another
  • Manage all cloud drives in one place
  • Sync files from one cloud drive to another

If you want to delete all files from Google Drive at once, you can use the Backup and Sync app or delete them directly from the Google Drive website. To delete files directly, select all the files in your Drive and they will be deleted immediately. However, it may take a while for the changes to be reflected.

When deleting all files from Google Drive, you'll need to empty the entire Trash folder, which will also delete all files that others have shared access to. To do this, click on "Trash" in the left pane, check to ensure you don't need to keep any files for future use, and then click on "Empty Trash" at the top-right corner of the screen.

Troubleshooting and Recovery

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Troubleshooting Google Drive Trash can be a real headache, especially when trying to delete a large number of items at once. This often causes the Trash to stop working.

If you're having trouble, try removing items one by one rather than in bulk. This can help prevent the issue.

Google Drive Trash Recovery is a lifesaver when you accidentally delete something important. You have 30 days to recover data from Trash before it's automatically deleted.

To recover deleted items, select the item(s) you want to restore in the Trash folder and tap the three vertical dots at the top. Then, click Restore.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting can be a real challenge, but don't worry, I've got some tips to help you out.

Google Drive Trash can sometimes stop working, especially if you're trying to remove a large number of items at once. This is often the case when you try to delete a lot of items at one go.

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One solution is to try deleting items in smaller batches. This can help prevent the Trash from getting overwhelmed and stopping work.

Google Drive Trash can also stop working if you're using an outdated browser or operating system. Make sure your software is up to date to avoid this issue.

Deleting items in smaller batches can also help prevent data loss, so it's a win-win situation.

Recovery

Recovery is a crucial step in troubleshooting and data management. You have 30 days to recover data from the Google Drive Trash folder.

If you accidentally delete a file, you can easily recover it from the Trash folder. Select the item(s) you want to restore and tap the three vertical dots at the top.

Tap Restore to recover the selected item(s). You can also click the three horizontal dots next to the item you want to restore and select Restore.

To determine a trashed file's properties, you can use the following properties: trashed, explicitlyTrashed, trashedTime, and trashingUser.

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Here are the details of each property:

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I delete Google Drive?

Deleting the Google Drive app from your Android phone won't delete your files, but you can still access them through the Google Drive website or another device. Your files remain safe and accessible, even if you uninstall the app.

Does deleting a Google Drive folder delete everything?

Deleting a Google Drive folder removes it permanently, but it doesn't delete its contents, which can still be recovered from the trash for up to 30 days.

Viola Morissette

Assigning Editor

Viola Morissette is a seasoned Assigning Editor with a passion for curating high-quality content. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for identifying emerging trends, she has successfully guided numerous articles to publication. Her expertise spans a wide range of topics, including technology and software tutorials, such as her work on "OneDrive Tutorials," where she expertly assigned and edited pieces that have resonated with readers worldwide.

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