FAQs
Use the right-click menu. Here's how to permanently delete files through the right-click context menu: Select the file or folder you want to permanently delete, right-click it, and choose Delete. Then, right-click the Recycle Bin on your desktop and select Empty Recycle Bin.
How do I permanently delete photos and videos from my laptop? ›
Use the right-click menu. Here's how to permanently delete files through the right-click context menu: Select the file or folder you want to permanently delete, right-click it, and choose Delete. Then, right-click the Recycle Bin on your desktop and select Empty Recycle Bin.
How do I completely delete photos and videos? ›
When you empty your trash, you permanently delete any photos and videos in your trash, and they can't be restored.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Photos app .
- Sign in to your Google Account.
- At the bottom, tap Collections Trash More Empty Trash. Delete permanently.
How do I mass delete photos from my computer? ›
Hold the Shift key, and the images leading up to the mouse should highlight in blue. * Click to select the batch. Click the trash can icon at the top-right of the screen. Empty the trash.
How do I delete photos from my laptop but keep them on iCloud? ›
How to delete all photos from Mac but not iCloud
- Click on the Apple menu, choose System Settings, and then click your name in the sidebar.
- Choose iCloud.
- Scroll down to Photos and select it.
- Turn off 'Sync this Mac' and quit System Settings.
Does emptying the Recycle Bin permanently delete? ›
Deleted files are still recoverable!
Emptying your Recycle Bin doesn't permanently delete your files. So, there is no need to blame your employee for supposedly forgetting to delete that old confidential file or your IT guy for not setting up your data backup and security right.
How do I permanently delete photos from my photo library? ›
On your computer, go to photos.google.com/login. Choose the photo or video that you want to delete permanently. Delete.
How to get permanently deleted photos? ›
Restore photos & videos
- On your Android device, open the Google Photos app .
- At the bottom, tap Collections. Trash.
- Touch and hold the photo or video you want to restore. If the photo or video isn't in your trash, it may be permanently deleted.
- At the bottom, tap Restore. Your photo or video will be back in:
How do I delete all my photos at once? ›
To delete photos and videos using the manage storage option in Google Photos:
- Open the storage management tool.
- Under "Review and delete," select any category.
- Select the items you want to delete. You can select up to 250 items at a time.
- Select Move to trash .
How do I free up space by deleting photos? ›
You can use Google Photos to save space on your device when you delete photos that are safely backed up. Before you use this feature, you must ensure that you've already backed up your photos properly.
With Google's Files app for Android — free in the Play store if it hasn't already been installed — you can quickly check for photo duplicates and get other file-deletion suggestions. Open the Files app, tap the Menu icon in the upper-left corner and choose Clean.
How do I clear memory from photos? ›
Your photos, videos, and albums aren't removed from your library.
- On your Android device, open the Photos app .
- Open the memory you want to remove.
- At the bottom right, tap More .
- Tap Hide. Remove this memory.
How to delete photos permanently from laptop? ›
To permanently delete files on Windows, send them to the Recycle Bin and then empty the Recycle Bin to delete them for good. Once the bin is empty, you can't recover the files unless you have data or file recovery software.
Where do deleted photos and videos go? ›
Did you know that your smartphone has a recycle bin? Say for example, you accidentally delete a photo. It goes to your phone's recycle bin and stays there. for up to 30 days before getting permanently deleted.
How do I delete all data from photos? ›
Right-click and select Properties, then Details. Select Remove Properties and Personal Information. Click Create a copy with all possible properties removed. Select OK and that's it.
How to make sure deleted files are not recoverable? ›
Use a file shredder software: These are special programs that overwrite the data on a file multiple times, making it impossible to recover. Some examples of file shredder software include CCleaner, Eraser, and Secure E.
How to delete data from laptop permanently? ›
How to Remove All Data from Windows 10 Laptop PC:
- Click Update & Security.
- Go to the left-hand side, scroll down and click on Recovery.
- From there, go to Reset this PC. ...
- A prompt will appear with two options, Keep My Files or Remove Everything. ...
- Click the Change settings option.
- Turn the Data Erasure toggle switch to on.
Where do permanently deleted files go in laptop? ›
Deleted files are stored in the Windows Recycle Bin tool unless they're deleted using the “Shift” + “Delete” command. This permanently erases the files from your computer and makes them inaccessible through Windows File Explorer, though they will continue to exist on the storage device until they're overwritten.
When you delete a file from your laptop it's gone forever? ›
When you delete a file, the operating system marks the area where that data resides on the hard drive disk (HDD) as available, and logistically removes it from the file tree structure. The magnetic data still resides on the disk, but the pathway to accessing the data has been removed from the operating system.