How to empty the trash on Android

When you delete a file on Android , it's not gone forever. Just like on a computer, it first goes to the trash folder. Here's how to empty this trash folder so unwanted files are gone from your device.

Empty the trash in Files by Google

On a Google Pixel phone or other device running a relatively old version of Android, start by swiping up on the home screen to open the app drawer. Then, look for an app called Files. The full name of the app is Files by Google , but it's shortened in the app drawer.

Inside Files, here's what you do:

1. Tap the hamburger menu icon in the top left corner and tap Trash from the sidebar.
2. Tap each item you want to delete or select All Items at the top.
3. Tap Delete in the lower right corner. When you get the confirmation pop-up, tap Delete again .

At this point, your files are gone forever. If you tend to delete files to keep them away from prying eyes, know that you can also use Files by Google to protect your files.

​Delete trash in Samsung My Files

Samsung Galaxy devices come with Samsung's My Files app instead of Files by Google. Despite the different interface, cleaning up junk in this app is still easy. Once you launch it from the app drawer, follow these steps:

1. Scroll down to the bottom of the first page and tap Trash .
2. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select Empty to delete everything in the trash folder.
3. Or, tap Edit , select the unwanted files, then tap Delete in the bottom right corner.

You can also install Files by Google on a Samsung phone and follow the steps above, but the trash folder won't be shared between the two apps. Files you delete using My Files won't show up in Files by Google, even though all your other files will.

Clear Trash in Google Photos

If you use Google Photos to manage all the photos you take with your smartphone, you can access the photos you've deleted directly in the app.

1. Select Library from the bottom menu and tap Trash .
2. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select Empty trash .
3. Alternatively, tap Select , select a specific photo, and then tap Delete .

Photos you delete using Google Photos also appear in your Files by Google trash, so if you empty your trash there, you don't need to open Google Photos separately. However, if you save photos directly to your Google account, you can only delete them using Google Photos.

​Empty the trash in Samsung Gallery

Galaxy phones and tablets come with the Samsung Gallery app. It appears as a “gallery” in your app drawer. Accessing the trash can in this app is a little different, but still pretty easy. Follow these instructions;

1. Tap the hamburger menu icon in the lower right corner and select Trash .
2. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select Empty to clear all trash.
3. Alternatively, tap Edit to select specific files, then tap Delete in the bottom right corner.

And that's it! You've successfully deleted all of your unwanted photos. If you're new to the rest of the app, you might be surprised at how capable Samsung Gallery is.

​Delete other deleted files

If you're a regular Google user , then most of what you do doesn't actually happen on your phone. Instead, it's stored in the cloud. To access that data, you'll need to access the trash can in the relevant app.

The Google Drive app is a good place to start. You can access the trash folder from the app's sidebar.

If you open Google Docs or Google Sheets, the location of the trash can will be identical because the user interface is consistent across Google's cloud-based apps.

Now that you know how to empty the trash folder on your Android device, whether it's a Google Pixel phone or a Samsung Galaxy phone, check your trash folder from time to time to delete files that are taking up storage space unnecessarily.