How To Empty Trash On Android

You find that your Android phone’s or tablet’s memory is always full, even though you keep clearing unnecessary files so often? Of course, there are different methods to free up your Android device’s storage, such as cleaning cache, deleting unnecessary apps, emptying trash, and more.

Want to know how to empty trash on Android phones and tablets and why you should clean up the trash on your device often? Simply read along to learn the details now. (The great news is that there are different methods to empty your Android device’s trash; let's find out now.)

Does Android have a trash folder?

The answer is No. Unlike on Windows PCs, there isn’t a "Recycle Bin" on the Android OS.

So, what happens when you delete a file or an item on your Android device? In fact, the deleted item and its data aren’t actually eliminated right after you delete it on your phone or table.

Instead, Android simply marks that item as a deleted file. Before actually getting deleted, that item and its data will continue to stay on your device for 30 days or even longer.

Besides, it’s worth noting that there’s more than one trash folder on your Android device. That’s why, as mentioned previously, there is not just one way to empty the trash. Now, let’s move on to the next sections of this writing to learn detailed instructions on how to empty trash on Android.

How to empty trash on Android

Though a real "Recycle Bin" is not included on your Android device, there’s still one place that you may consider the Android Recycle Bin. It’s nothing but the file manager on your device.

So, if you are using Files by Google as your file manager, then here’s how to empty trash on Android. Later on in this post, we’ll also share other methods to clear the trash on your device. Thus, keep scrolling down to find out.

Emptying the trash in Files by Google

Step 1. Go to the Files app on your phone or tablet.

Step 2. In the upper-left corner, tap the menu button (the three-horizontal-line icon).

Step 3. Next, tap on the "Trash" option.

Step 4. On the Trash page, you can now select everything by tapping "All items" or manually choose specific files you want to permanently delete.

Step 5. Tap Delete, and then select Delete one more time to confirm your choice.

That’s how to empty trash on Android in Files by Google. It’s super easy, right? However, please note that once you permanently delete your files, you can’t recover them anymore.

Emptying the trash in Google Photos

Individual apps also include their own trash folders that you can empty as well. And your Google Photos app is a great example of that. Following is how to empty trash on Android in Google Photos; let’s take a look!

Step 1. Go to your Google Photos app.

Step 2. In the bottom bar, simply tap "Library."

Step 3. Next, select the "Trash" option.

Step 4. On the "Trash" page, you can manually delete a specific video or photo by tapping on it and choosing "Delete." If you want to clear everything displayed there, simply tap the three-vertical-dot icon located in the top right corner of your screen and then tap "Empty trash."

Of course, similar to how to empty trash on Android in Files by Google, you are unable to recover files that you want to permanently delete on the Google Photos app.

Note: Along with Google Photos, other apps like Gmail, Google Keep, Dropbox, and more also have a similar trash folder. You can go to each of them to empty the trash to free up some more storage space on your Android device.

RELATED: How To Clear Cache On Android Phones

FAQs answered

Why should I empty the trash on Android?

Trash files take up your Android phone's storage space and fill up its memory. As a result, they can cause the device to run slower.

So, emptying the trash will help free up some storage on your phone or tablet, allowing you to store more necessary files or even acquire new apps. Plus, cleaning up the trash and junk will help boost your device’s performance as well.

How to empty the trash in Gmail?

To clean up the email trash, simply launch the Gmail app on your device, tap the three-line menu button at the upper left corner of the screen, and then select "Trash." If you want to permanently delete everything on the "Trash" page, you just need to tap "Empty trash now" and select "Empty" to confirm your choice.

It’s also important to note that you can't restore emails that you permanently deleted from Gmail's trash folder.

Bottom line

Now that you know how to empty trash on Android, right? As you can see, it’s easy to clean up the trash in Files by Google, Google Photo, Gmail, and other apps on your phone and tablet. If you are short on free storage space, empty the trash on your Android now. It’s also recommended to clean up the trash and junk often so that you will have enough storage for important things as well as improve your device’s performance.

RELATED: How To Find Archived Emails In Gmail On Desktop And Android