Microsoft OneDrive: Delete Files or Folders

Overview

This article provides instructions for deleting old or unnecessary files or folders in your UT Microsoft OneDrive account. Old or unnecessary files could take up valuable space and limit your ability to create or upload new files.

Unsure how much space you have left in your UT OneDrive? Visit this article to Check Your OneDrive Quota. 

Instructions

Find Unused Files

  1. Go to http://office365.utk.edu and sign in with your UT email address and NetID password. 
  2. Click the 9-dot icon in the upper left corner of your screen. 
  3. Click OneDrive. 
  4. In the left-side menu, click My Files. 
  5. Click Modified at the top of your file list. Then, click Older to newer. 
    • Files that have not been modified in a while will now be at the top. 

Delete a OneDrive File or Folder

  1. Go to http://office365.utk.edu and sign in with your UT email address and NetID password. 
  2. Click the 9-dot icon in the upper left corner of your screen. 
  3. Click OneDrive. 
  4. In the left-side menu, click My Files. 
  5. Click on the file or folder you would like to delete. Then, click Delete at the top of the file list. 

Permanently Delete a File or Folder 

  1. Go to http://office365.utk.edu and sign in with your UT email address and NetID password. 
  2. Click the 9-dot icon in the upper left corner of your screen. 
  3. Click OneDrive. 
  4. In the left-side menu, click Recycle Bin.
  5. Click on the file or folder you would like to permanently delete. Then, click Delete at the top of the file list. 
    • NOTE: You will also see the option to restore the file next to the delete option. 
  6. Click Delete again when it asks "Are you sure you want to delete this item from the Recycle Bin?". 

Empty OneDrive Recycling Bin

  1. Go to http://office365.utk.edu and sign in with your UT email address and NetID password. 
  2. Click the 9-dot icon in the upper left corner of your screen. 
  3. Click OneDrive. 
  4. In the left-side menu, click Recycle Bin.
  5. Above the file list click Empty Recycle Bin. 
  6. Click Yes when it asks "Are you sure you want to delete these items from the Recycle Bin?". 
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