---
title: "How to Permanently Delete Trash in File Manager"
description: "Do you want to free up space on your server? There may be files stored in your File Manager's Trash Directory that you no longer need. This is because deleting a file in File Manager only moves it to..."
url: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/cpanel/delete-trash/
date: 2018-10-30
modified: 2026-01-22
author: "Carrie Smaha"
categories: ["cPanel"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# How to Permanently Delete Trash in File Manager

Do you want to free up space on your server? There may be files stored in your *File Manager’s Trash Directory* that you no longer need. This is because deleting a file in File Manager only moves it to the Trash folder. In this guide, we will show you how to **permanently delete a file in cPanel File Manager** so you can free up space.

Keep in mind that this is separate from the [Trash directory](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/server/linux/send-files-to-trash-with-gio-trash/) used with terminal commands.

## Permanently Deleting File Manager Trash

1. [Log into cPanel](/support/edu/cpanel/access-cpanel-via-whm/). 
2. Click on **File Manager** in the *Files* section of cPanel.![cPanel > Files > Tools](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cpanel-2024-tools-files-1024x560.jpg) 
3. Once you’re in [File Manager](/support/edu/cpanel/using-file-manager-in-cpanel/), click on the directory folders to navigate to the area that has the files or folders you want to delete. ![Navigate to a directory in cPanel File Manager](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cpanel-2024-file-manager-directory.jpg)
4. Select the items you want to remove, then click the **Delete** link from the top toolbar.![Choose file to delete](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cpanel-2024-delete-file.jpg) 
5. A message will ask, “*Are you sure you want to move the following files to the trash?*” Click **Confirm** to send items to the trash, with an option to recover the file(s) later.![Dialog window with Deletion options](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cpanel-2024-delete-file-prompt1.jpg)
6. To permanently delete files from your cPanel and File Manager Trash, **tick the box** to “Skip the trash and permanently delete the files.”![Confirmation message to delete](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cpanel-2024-delete-file-prompt2.jpg)

Congratulations, now you know how to permanently delete a Trash file in File Manager! Check out this post in our community forum if you are having trouble deleting files or getting errors such as [FileOp Failure](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/questions/en/communities/1/topics/15566-cpanel-will-not-let-me-delete-files-fileop-failure).