Delete and restore files in Google Bulldoze

To delete your Google Bulldoze files, move them to the trash. Files in trash will be automatically deleted after 30 days. You tin can restore files from your trash before the thirty-day time window. You lot tin can besides permanently delete them to empty your trash. If you lot delete, restore, or permanently delete multiple files or folders at once, it might accept time for you to detect the changes.

Move a file to the trash

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

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

Drive for desktop

When yous sync files  betwixt Google Drive and your computer, any files you put in your trash in one identify will be put in the trash everywhere.

Empty your trash

You can permanently delete an private file or empty your entire trash.

  • After you lot delete a file permanently, anyone you've shared the file will lose admission to it.
  • If yous want others to be able to view the file, you tin can transfer ownership to someone else.

Recover a file from the trash

If there's a file in your trash you want to go on, put it back in "My Drive." If you're not the possessor of the file and want to use it:

  • Brand a copy of the file.
  • Contact the owner to have them restore information technology.

On the spider web

  1. On your figurer, go to bulldoze.google.com.
  2. On the left, click Trash.
  3. Click the file you want to restore.
  4. At the acme, click Restore Restore from trash.
    • Tip:You lot can sort your trashed files by trashed engagement to notice the oldest or newest files trashed.
  5. You can discover restored files in their original location. If the original location no longer exists, look in "My Drive."

Bulldoze for desktop

If yous tin can still find a file you trashed in your Drive trash, endeavor restoring information technology from Drive to ensure any metadata, like previous revisions, is preserved. If the file is no longer available in your Bulldoze trash, only is available in your computer's Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (MacOS), you lot can restore it with post-obit instructions.

If you're non the owner of the file, contact the possessor to have them restore it.

Tip: If y'all have important data in a file, you tin make a copy of information technology. Open the file and click File and thenMake a copy.

If you lot can't recover your deleted file

If you delete a file and demand to become it back, contact a Drive specialist. To notice your file, call or chat with us.

Restore files you deleted

If yous deleted something recently using Google Bulldoze or the Google Drive desktop app, y'all might exist able to restore the file yourself.

Restore from your Trash

  1. On a computer, go to drive.google.com/drive/trash.
    • Tip: You can sort your trashed files by trashed engagement to find the oldest or newest files trashed.
  2. Right-click the file you desire to recover.
  3. Click Restore.
  4. You tin can observe restored files in their original location. If the original location no longer exists, look in "My Drive."

Find a file you don't call back you deleted

Endeavour these steps

Check the activity console

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

Use an advanced search

  1. On a computer, go to bulldoze.google.com.
  2. In the search bar, click the icon to the far right.
  3. Use the advanced search options to detect your file. For example, to see spreadsheets, next to 'Type,' click the downwardly pointer, then click 'Spreadsheets.'

Learn why files go missing

If yous created the file

If you can't find a file that you created in Bulldoze, information technology might take lost the folder it was in. The file still exists, but is harder to discover.

How files lose their folder

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

Detect unorganized 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, motion information technology to a folder in My Drive and so it's easier to detect next fourth dimension.

Search now

If someone else created the file

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

If it was in a folder someone else created

If someone deleted that binder, you won't run across that binder in your Drive anymore.

Find files you created in deleted folders

Find all files that are in deleted folders

To make that file easier to detect in the future, motility it into a folder in "My Drive."

More on how to discover files

Endeavour 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 Dad owns:

owner:dad@gmail.com

Files shared by others

Files Mom shared with you:

from:mom@gmail.com

You shared files

Files you shared with Mom:

to:mom@gmail.com

Starred items

is:starred

Deleted items

is:trashed

File type

Spreadsheet file blazon:

blazon:spreadsheet

Time frame

Before or after January 18, 2015.

before:2015-01-18

later on:2015-01-18

Title

championship:"The title goes here"

App

Files opened in Google Bulldoze:

app:"Drive"

Recovered file types

For personal accounts: We tin can assist you recover recently deleted files for a limited time after they're deleted if you use Google Bulldoze with a consumer account (and not an account through your work, school, or other group) and one of these is true:

  • Y'all created the file.
  • Y'all uploaded the file to Google Drive.
  • Yous accepted ownership of the file from someone.

If your Google Account was deleted, yous might not be able to recover your files.

If yous need to recover emails from Gmail

Learn how to recover emails from Gmail.

Contact us

To contact us, sign in to your Google Account.

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