Files app won't remove files permamently from "Recently deleted" on my iPad

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Level 1

35 points

Files app won't remove files permamently from "Recently deleted" on my iPad

I deleted a bunch of large video files from the video editor LumaFusion's folder on my iPad via the Files app. The files go to the "Recently Deleted" folder. I want to free up space and delete all these files, but each time I try to delete the files, they just keep coming back to the "Recently Deleted" folder. It's like I never deleted them in the first place.

How do I permanently delete these files?

iPad Wi-Fi, iOS 12, 2018, 128GB

Posted on Oct 4, 2018 3:34 PM

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Answer 1

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capawaky Author

Level 1

35 points

Oct 8, 2018 2:49 PM in response to MoonJ.

Thanks for your answer but that does not solve my issue. Let me be more detailed:

I'm using the "Files" app on my iPad. There is a location called "On My iPad" which has local (not iCloud) folders for different apps, one of the apps being the video editor LumaFusion. Inside the folder are video files which I have imported from the "Photos" app.

Once I no longer need the video files, I delete them (with the Files app) and they are moved to the "Recently Deleted" location. Naturally they still take up space on the device, so I want to permanently delete them. Lets say I choose all the files in the "Recently Deleted" location and permanently delete them, the following happens:

All files disappear as if they have been deleted
I browse to another location within Files app
I go back to "Recently Deleted" only to notice all the files are still there, taking up space

I've since tried to delete individual files and I get a "Can't delete -filename-, File doesn't exist"-error message:

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the "Files" app, but that didn't help. What can I try next?

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Answer 2

MoonJ.

Community Specialist

Oct 5, 2018 4:56 PM in response to capawaky

Good afternoon capawaky,

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!

I understand you wish to permanently delete files from a LumaFusion folder on your iPad. The resource below explains how to permanently delete files from the "Recently Deleted" folder in iCloud Drive.
iCloud: Use iCloud Drive on iCloud.com

Delete files

You can delete files you no longer want to store in iCloud Drive. Deleting your files from iCloud Drive reduces the amount of iCloud storage space you’re using.

Important: When you delete a file from iCloud Drive on iCloud.com, it’s also deleted from all your devices set up to use iCloud Drive.

Select the files you want to delete, then click the Trash button in the iCloud Drive toolbar.

Files you delete from iCloud Drive are recoverable for 30 days. You can remove deleted files before the 30-day time period is up.

Remove files deleted from iCloud Drive

You can immediately and permanently remove files you deleted from iCloud Drive in the last 30 days, whether you deleted them on iCloud.com, your iOS device, your Mac, or your Windows computer.

Click Recently Deleted in the bottom-right corner of the iCloud Drive window.

Click Delete All, or select each file you want to delete, then click Delete.

Remove files deleted from other apps

You can immediately and permanently remove files you deleted from other apps, such as iWork apps, in the last 30 days, whether you deleted them on iCloud.com, your iOS device, your Mac, or your Windows computer.

Go to Settings on iCloud.com, then click Restore Files (in the Advanced section).

Select each file you want to permanently remove, or select Select All.

Click Delete.

Take care.

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Answer 3

capawaky Author

Level 1

35 points

Oct 9, 2018 1:21 PM in response to capawaky

Today I closed all the apps on my iPad and then did a hard reset (on/off + home button). I then re-opened the Files app and most of the files in the "Recently Deleted" location were gone. I deleted the remaining folders and they seem to be gone now as well. There are two persistent files from Google Drive I think and they refuse to be either restored or deleted. Fortunately they are not large in size and don't matter.

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Files app won't remove files permamently from "Recently deleted" on my iPad

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