With the vast number of documents, reports, and PDFs we create on a daily basis, it’s easy to end up with a lot of clutter. To keep things tidy and organized, you might have started automating your process of filing and archiving old files. In this PDF Drive Guide, we will show you how to delete a PDF in Google Drive the easiest way. After reading you will know how to do so without losing any important information or settings for the file.
What is Google Drive?
Google Drive is a cloud-based storage solution that allows users to store and share files online. The service is currently available as a web interface on iOS, and Android apps, and as a Chrome extension. The web interface allows users to create, access, and edit files online. The service can be used to create and manage personal files such as PDFs, documents, photos, and videos. The Goole Drive app is also made available as a Chrome extension that allows users to access files from any device.
How Google Drive Works?
Using the Google Drive cloud-based storage solution, users can upload and access files and documents from multiple devices. When first setting up the service, you need to create an account using your email address and a password. You can then sign in to the account from any device and access all your files from the My Drive page. There are two ways to use Google Drive; the classic and the simplified way. The classic way involves uploading documents and storing them on Google’s servers, where they can be accessed by all devices. When someone else needs access to your file, they can download it from the Google Drive app or website. The simplified way, on the other hand, only involves accessing your files online, so it saves you some storage space on your device. Google Drive is available in the following countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Singapore, and New Zealand. It is not currently available in China. And it’s well known to house the most portable file format PDF.
Advantages of Using Google Drive
- Compatible Across Devices: Users can access and share files across devices, including laptops, tablets, and phones. You can access files from multiple devices, whether at work or at home.
- Easy Sharing: Files can be shared through the web interface, iOS or Android apps, or as a Chrome extension. You can create multiple accounts to share files with anyone in your team or any other person who needs access.
- Optimized for Mobile Use: Google Drive is optimized for mobile use and features an intuitive UI that makes it easy to view, create, and edit files. The service can also be used on a Chromebook.
- Cloud Storage: Files are stored on the cloud so they don’t take up space on your device. You can also access and edit files while travelling or offline.
Disadvantages of Using Google Drive
- Expensive: There is a cost factor associated with using the service. The cost varies depending on the amount of storage you need.
- Limited Storage: Users can get up to 16GB of storage for free. After that, Google Drive offers additional space for $9.99/ month or $99.99/year.
How to Delete a PDF in Google Drive?
There might be some consequences if you do delete a PDF file carelessly. If you want to delete a PDF without any harm to the original content, keep reading and find out how to do it. Take a look at the steps below:
Step 1: Sign in to your Google Account
First, sign in to your Google account, and then find the file you want to delete. Now, select the file and open the context menu. You will see the “Delete This Document” option among other options in the context menu. Select it and your file will be deleted from Drive.
Step 2: Find the File you Want to Delete
When you have the Drive URL of the PDF you want to delete, simply enter the URL in the search bar. You may also sign in to your account, and locate the file you want to delete. To make sure you got the right file, double-tap on the file name to see the content. You can also select multiple files or delete an entire folder.
Step 3: Delete the PDF on Google Drive
Then, right-click the file, and select “Delete This Document” in the context menu. After that, you have the file deleted from Google Drive. But what if you want to delete the file from your computer as well? Well, that’s easy as well. Just sign in to your computer using your Google account, select the file and click the “Delete” button on the context menu. After that, the file will be removed from the computer and you will be left with no trace of it. As you can see, deleting a PDF file in Google Drive is very easy. If you want to delete the file from your computer, follow the same steps but instead of deleting it from Google Drive, you will delete it from your computer.
Important to Know: Why You Should Delete PDFs from Drive?
When you create a PDF file, you give it some important information along with the content. When you delete a PDF file from Drive, you are deleting all these details, including author info, file creation and modification timestamps, security settings, and much more. All these data might be important for you or someone else, but it is not the kind of data you would like to keep. So, if you are letting a PDF file linger on Drive for too long, you might want to delete it to make sure it is not giving anyone any information.
Conclusion
With the immense amount of information we create every day, it can be easy to end up with a lot of clutter. With all the documents, reports, and PDFs stacking up, it can be challenging to keep things organized and in check. If you find yourself struggling with this, there are several ways you can keep your digital life manageable. One of these ways is to automate your filing and archiving process. Another simple way to stay on top of things is to delete items from your digital files as they become unnecessary. If you are finding that you are keeping a lot of PDFs around, you might want to delete them to make room for newer information. The best advice is to adopt a systematic method for managing your digital files. With this method in place, you can keep your digital life under control and handle any clutter that arises.
