To empty the Google Drive trash on a computer, go to drive.google.com, click Trash in the left menu, and click Empty trash, then Delete forever. In the Drive app, tap Menu (☰) > Trash, tap the three-dot icon at the top, and choose Empty trash. Google also deletes items automatically after they’ve been in the trash for 30 days. Gmail and Google Photos have their own separate trash folders, covered below.
Emptying the trash is permanent, so here’s what to check first, how to empty each Google trash, and how to free up storage if space is the goal.
Google’s trash folders at a glance
| Service | Where the trash is | Auto-deletes after |
|---|---|---|
| Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides, files) | Drive > Trash | 30 days |
| Gmail | Gmail > More > Trash (Bin in some regions) | 30 days |
| Google Photos | Photos > Collections or Library > Trash (Bin) | 60 days for backed-up items |
All three share your Google Account storage, so emptying each one can free space.
How to empty Google Drive trash on a computer
- Go to drive.google.com.
- Click Trash in the left menu.
- Click Empty trash at the top right.
- Click Delete forever to confirm.
To delete only some items, select them (hold Ctrl or Command to pick several), then click the Delete forever icon.
How to empty Google Drive trash on a phone
- Open the Google Drive app.
- Tap Menu (☰) > Trash.
- Tap the three-dot More icon at the top right and choose Empty trash.
- Confirm with Delete forever.
How to empty the trash in Gmail
- In Gmail, click More in the left menu, then Trash. In the app, tap Menu > Trash.
- Click Empty Trash now at the top of the list.
- Confirm.
You can empty Spam the same way with Delete all spam messages now.
How to empty the trash in Google Photos
- Open Google Photos. On a computer, click Trash (or Bin) in the left menu. In the app, tap Collections > Trash.
- Click Empty trash (or tap the three-dot menu > Empty trash).
- Confirm.
Before you empty the trash
- Deleting is permanent. After you empty the trash, you generally can’t restore items yourself. Workspace admins may be able to restore Drive files for 25 days after they’re emptied.
- Files you own that others use will disappear for them too.
- To restore something, right-click it in the trash and choose Restore. See how to recover a Google Sheet.
Storage didn’t go down?
- It can take up to a day or so for your storage total to update.
- Check one.google.com/storage to see which service uses the most space, and use the Storage manager to find large files.
- Remember that files shared with you don’t count against your storage. Files you own do, even in shared folders.
- For more ways to free space, see how to manage Google storage and how to empty Google Drive.
If your household shares a plan, see how to share Google storage with family.
Closing a business account? See how to cancel Google Workspace.
Frequently asked questions
Can I recover files after emptying the Google Drive trash?
Usually not. For personal accounts, you can contact Google Drive support soon after, but recovery isn’t guaranteed. Workspace admins can restore files for a limited time.
Does Google automatically empty the trash?
Yes. Drive and Gmail delete trashed items after 30 days, and Photos after 60 days for backed-up items.
Why can’t I delete some files in the trash?
You might not be the owner. Only the owner can delete a file permanently. Removing a shared file just takes it out of your view.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.