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In Google Drive, move a file you own to Trash to delete it; you can restore it from Trash for up to 30 days. After that, or after you empty Trash or choose Delete forever, Google treats it as permanently deleted. If the file belongs to someone else, Remove only takes it out of your Drive—it does not delete the owner’s copy.
Delete a file in My Drive
On a computer, find the file in Drive, right-click it, and choose Move to Trash. This puts the file in Trash rather than immediately deleting it. Google’s standard policy keeps trashed files for 30 days before permanent deletion. While a file you own is in Trash, people you shared it with can still access it; permanently deleting it removes their access. Files in Trash continue to count toward Drive storage until permanently deleted. Google Drive Help
If you don’t own the file
You may see Remove instead of Move to Trash. Remove takes the item out of your Drive but does not delete the owner’s copy or revoke other people’s access. If the file itself needs to be deleted, ask its owner to do that.
Restore a file from Trash on desktop
- Go to drive.google.com and open Trash.
- Find the file. If needed, sort by Trashed date to see when it was moved there.
- Right-click the file and choose Restore.
Restore it within 30 days of moving it to Trash. Google’s documented steps above are for desktop; don’t assume the same controls or labels apply in the Drive mobile app. Google Drive Help
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Permanently delete files
To permanently delete one file, open Trash, right-click the item, and choose Delete forever. To permanently delete everything in Trash, choose Empty trash. Check the contents before either action: collaborators lose access when you permanently delete a file you own, and Google’s standard instructions treat the deletion as final. Google Drive Help
Delete or restore files in a shared drive
Shared-drive files belong to the team or organization, not to an individual, and each shared drive has its own Trash. Permissions determine who can act on its files.
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| Action | Shared-drive access Google specifies |
|---|---|
| Move a file to Trash | Content manager or higher |
| Restore a file | Contributor or higher |
| Permanently delete a file from Trash | Manager |
To restore on desktop, open Trash, use the Deleted from menu to select the shared drive’s Trash, select the file, and choose Restore. A Manager can permanently delete a shared-drive file before the 30-day period ends; otherwise, files in shared-drive Trash are deleted forever after 30 days. Google Drive Help
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A missing file may have moved or become inaccessible rather than being deleted. Check these possibilities in order:
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- Make sure you’re signed into the Google Account where you used the file.
- Search Drive, then check Trash and the file’s Trashed date.
- If you own it, check the activity panel for recent moves or deletion activity.
- If someone shared it with you, ask the owner to check whether your permission changed or the file moved to a folder you can’t access.
- If it was in a shared drive, ask the person who granted access or a shared-drive Manager whether your access was removed.
- Search for
is:unorganized. A file may move to My Drive if its original folder is deleted or you lose access to that folder.
Google’s troubleshooting guidance covers these account, activity, access, and unorganized-file checks. Google Drive Help
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you recover a file after permanent deletion?
Possibly, but restoration is not guaranteed. Google’s general guidance says a file deleted forever may still be recoverable in some cases, but its standard recovery instructions do not promise that every file can be restored or set a universal eligibility window. If the file matters, try Google’s signed-in recovery or support flow promptly. For Workspace or shared-drive data, contact your organization’s administrator or a shared-drive Manager. Google Drive Help
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What Drive for desktop deletion affects
If Drive for desktop mirrors or streams your files, moving an item to Trash affects it in Drive and on your computer. Google treats Google Photos backup behavior separately, so don’t assume deleting an item in Drive also deletes or synchronizes a Google Photos item. Google Drive Help
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