To
delete a single file or list item, you highlight that file or list item
by checking the check box that appears to the left of the file or item
when you hover on the row for that file or list item. This causes the
row to be highlighted and the ribbon to switch to the Documents ribbon
or the Items ribbon. In the ribbon, click the Delete Document button,
shown in Figure 1. You are prompted to confirm the deletion.
Note
Deleting
files requires a different set of permissions than editing, so you
might not see the Delete option in the menu. In that case, you should
ask the manager of that list to delete the item.
An alternative way to delete a
single item or file is to hover over the item’s title or the file’s
file name and then open the drop-down menu that becomes available (see Figure 2). From this menu, you choose Delete Item or Delete.
You can also delete
several files or items at once by selecting those files or items using
the check boxes that are shown on the left of the view displaying those
items or files (see Figure 3).
The check boxes become visible if you hover your mouse’s cursor over
the row for an item or file. After you select several files or items,
you use the Delete Document button on the Documents ribbon or the
Delete Item button on the Items ribbons to delete them all at the same
time.
Another method for deleting multiple files or list items is to use the datasheet view.
Finally, in document
libraries, you can also use the Open with Explorer option in the
Library ribbon. This opens the document library in Windows Explorer,
just as it would any folder on your computer, and it allows you to
select the files you want to delete and either press the Delete key on
the keyboard or right-click the files and choose Delete from the
context menu (see Figure 4).
When items or files are
deleted, by default they are stored in the site’s Recycle Bin for 30
days, and you can restore them during that time. See the following
section.
