Delete and restore files in Google Drive

To delete your Google Drive files, move them to the bin. Files in your bin will be automatically deleted after 30 days. You can restore files from your bin before the 30-day time window. You can also permanently delete them to empty your bin. If you delete, restore or permanently delete multiple files or folders at once, it might take time for you to notice the changes. 

Move a file to the bin

To remove a file from your Drive, put it in your bin The file will stay in your bin for 30 days before being automatically deleted. When you put a file in the bin:

• If you own the file, people with whomyou’ve shared it can make a copy. Learn how to permanently delete a file.
• If you don't own the file, removing the file from your Drive only removes it for you.

 

On the web

1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com.
2. Click a file.
3. Click Remove .

Drive for desktop

If you mirror or stream files between Google Drive and your computer, any files that you put in the bin are put in the bin everywhere.
Important: If you back up to Google Photos, only photos and videos will be uploaded. Changes (including deleting images) won't sync between your computer and Google Photos.

Empty your bin

You can permanently delete an individual file or empty your entire bin.

• After you have deleted a file permanently, anyone that you've shared the file with will lose access to it.
• If you want others to be able to view the file, you can transfer ownership to someone else.

Empty your entire bin

1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com.
2. On the left, click Bin.
3. Make sure that there are no files that you want to keep.
4. At the top right, click Empty bin. 

Tip: If you can't see 'Empty bin', at the top next to the bin, click the down arrow   Empty bin. 

Delete an individual file forever

1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com.
2. On the left, click Bin.
3. Click a file.
4. At the top, click Delete forever .

 

Recover a file from the bin

If there's a file in your bin that you want to keep, put it back in 'My Drive'. If you're not the owner of the file and want to use it:

• Make a copy of the file.
• Contact the owner to have them restore it.

On the web

1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com.
2. On the left, click Bin.
3. Click the file that you want to restore.
4. At the top, click restore .
   • Tip: You can sort your deleted files by date deleted to find the oldest or newest files deleted. 
5. You can find restored files in their original location. If the original location no longer exists, look in 'My Drive'.

Drive for desktop

If you can still find a file that you have deleted in your Drive bin, try restoring it from Drive to ensure that any metadata, like previous revisions, is preserved. If the file is no longer available in your Drive bin but is available in your computer's Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (MacOS), you can restore it with the following instructions.  

If you're not the owner of the file, contact the owner to have them restore it.

Tip: If you have important information in a file, you can make a copy of it. Open the file and click File  Make a copy.

If you can't recover your deleted file

If you delete a file and need to get it back, contact a Drive specialist. To find your file, call or chat with us.

Restore files you deleted

If you deleted something recently using Google Drive or the Google Drive desktop app, you might be able to restore the file yourself.

Restore from your bin

1. On a computer, go to drive.google.com/drive/bin.
   • Tip: You can sort your binned files by date deleted to find the oldest or newest files deleted.
2. Right-click on the file you want to recover.
3. Click Restore.
4. You can find restored files in their original location.
   • If the original location is gone, check 'My Drive'.

Find a file that you don't think you deleted

Try these steps

Check the activity panel

1. On a computer, go to drive.google.com
2. At the top right, click Info .
3. Click ‘Activity’ to check the activity panel.
4. Scroll down and look for your file.

Use an advanced search

1. On a computer, go to drive.google.com
2. In the search bar, click the icon to the far right.
3. Use the advanced search options to find your file. For example, to find spreadsheets, next to 'Type', click the down arrow, then click 'Spreadsheets'.

Learn why files go missing

If you created the file

If you can’t find a file that you created in Drive, it might have lost the folder it was in. The file still exists, but is harder to find.

How files lose their folder

• You create a file in someone else's folder and they delete that folder. The file isn't deleted. It's automatically moved to your My Drive.
  Important: Only you can delete the files you own.
• You share a folder with someone and they remove your file from the folder. The file isn't deleted, it's automatically moved to your My Drive.

Find unorganised files

1. On a computer, go to drive.google.com
2. In the search bar, enter: _{is:unorganized owner:me}
3. When you find the file, move it to a folder in My Drive so it’s easier to find next time.

Search now

If someone else created the file

When someone creates a file, they can delete, rename and restore it. Contact the person who created the file and ask them to restore it or share it with you again.

If it was in a folder that someone else created

If someone has deleted that folder, you won't find that folder in your Drive any more.

Find files you created in deleted folders

Find all files that are in deleted folders

To make that file easier to find in the future, move it into a folder in 'My Drive'.

More on how to find files

Try advanced search

To refine your search in Drive, use a search phrase on your computer with one of these options:

Search for	Example
Exact phrase	"Use quotes around an exact phrase"
Exclude a word	Water, but not lakes: water -lakes
File owner	Files owned by Dad: owner:[e-mail]
Files shared by others	Files that Mum has shared with you: from:[e-mail]
You've shared files	Files that you've shared with Mum: to:[e-mail]
Starred items	is:starred
Deleted items	is:binned
File type	Spreadsheet file type: type:spreadsheet
Time frame	Before or after 18 January 2015. before:2015-01-18 after:2015-01-18
Title	title:"The title goes here"
App	Files opened in Google Drive: app:"Drive"

Recovered file types

For personal accounts, you can recover recently deleted files for a limited time after they're deleted if you use:

• Google Drive with a consumer account.
• Not through work, school or other group

One of these is true:

• You created the file.
• You uploaded the file to Google Drive.
• You accepted ownership of the file from someone.

If your Google Account has been deleted, you might not be able to recover your files.

Use search chips

To narrow down the list of files in Drive, you can use search chips. You can search and filter:

• Type
• People 
• Modified

These chips appear below the search bar and search all files, folders and subfolders within that view, like My Drive, Recent or Bin.

• To remove a search chip: On the right of the chip, click .
• To remove all search chips: At the end of the chips, click .

Tip: Search chips are present by default. To hide them, click on the filter button .

Recover emails from Gmail

Learn how to recover emails from Gmail.

Contact us

To contact us, sign in to your Google Account.

Drive support is not available in all languages. If you speak English, you can change your language and contact a Drive specialist.

1. On your computer, go to the Google Drive Help Centre.
2. At the bottom of the page, click your language.
3. Choose English.
4. In the top left, click Menu  Contact us.
5. Choose your issue and how you'd like to contact us.

Note: When you've finished, you can change your language back to your preferred language.

For more help, learn how to delete and restore files in Google Drive.