<page xmlns="http://projectmallard.org/1.0/"
      type="topic" style="task"
      id="files-delete">

  <info>
    <link type="guide" xref="files"/>
    <link type="seealso" xref="files-recover"/>
    <desc>Remove files or folders you no longer need.</desc>

    <revision pkgversion="3.5.92" version="0.2" date="2012-09-16" status="review"/>

    <credit type="author">
      <name>Cristopher Thomas</name>
      <email>crisnoh@gmail.com</email>
    </credit>
    <credit type="author">
      <name>Shaun McCance</name>
      <email>shaunm@gnome.org</email>
    </credit>
    <include href="legal.xml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"/>
    <credit type="author">
      <name>Jim Campbell</name>
      <email>jwcampbell@gmail.com</email>
    </credit>
    <credit type="editor">
      <name>Michael Hill</name>
      <email>mdhillca@gmail.com</email>
    </credit>
  </info>

<title>Delete files and folders</title>

  <p>If you don't want a file or folder any more, you can delete it. When you
  delete an item it is moved to the <gui>Trash</gui> folder, where it is stored
  until you empty the trash.  You can <link xref="files-recover">restore items
  </link> in the <gui>Trash</gui> folder to their original location if you
  decide you need them, or if they were accidentally deleted.</p>

  <steps>
    <title>To send a file to the trash:</title>
    <item><p>Select the item you want to place in the trash by clicking it once.
    </p></item>
    <item><p>Press <keyseq><key>Ctrl</key><key>Delete</key></keyseq> on your
    keyboard. Alternatively, drag the item to the <gui>Trash</gui> in the
    sidebar.</p></item>
  </steps>

  <p>To delete files permanently, and free up disk space on your computer, you
  need to empty the trash. To empty the trash, right-click <gui>Trash</gui> in
  the sidebar and select <gui>Empty Trash</gui>.</p>

  <section id="permanent">
    <title>Permanently delete a file</title>
    <p>You can immediately delete a file permanently, without having to send it
    to the trash first.</p>

  <steps>
    <title>To permanently delete a file:</title>
    <item><p>Select the item you want to delete.</p></item>
    <item><p>Press and hold the <key>Shift</key> key, then press the
    <key>Delete</key> key on your keyboard.</p></item>
    <item><p>Because you cannot undo this, you will be asked to confirm that
    you want to delete the file or folder.</p></item>
  </steps>

  <note style="tip"><p>If you frequently need to delete files without using the
  trash (for example, if you often work with sensitive data), you can add a
  <gui>Delete</gui> entry to the right-click menu for files and folders.
  Click <gui>Files</gui> in the top bar, pick <gui>Preferences</gui> and select
  the <gui>Behavior</gui> tab. Select <gui>Include a Delete command that
  bypasses Trash</gui>.</p></note>

  <note><p>Deleted files on a <link xref="files#removable">removable device
  </link> may not be visible on other operating systems, such Windows or Mac
  OS. The files are still there, and will be available when you plug the device
  back into your computer.</p></note>

  </section>
</page>
