Why can't I delete files from OneDrive?

Question

Why can't I delete files from OneDrive? What I see here, I don't even see on my local computer in the OneDrive folder. This is a personal account, so I should have full rights. I'm using like 1% of my storage (since I hate OneDrive and never want to use it). I have accidentally saved some files there and want to delete them.

Answer 1

You can't delete files from the Home tab. The Home tab only shows your recently opened office documents. I'm not sure why you don't have permissions to open a file.

Answer 2

There could be several reasons why you are unable to delete files from OneDrive:

1. Permissions: Even though you are using a personal account, ensure that you have the appropriate permissions to delete the files. Sometimes, files may be shared with you, and you might not have the rights to delete them.
2. Files On-Demand: If you are using OneDrive's Files On-Demand feature, the files may not be stored locally on your computer, which can lead to confusion when trying to delete them. You might need to delete them directly from the OneDrive web interface.
3. Retention Policies: If any retention labels or policies are applied to the files, they may prevent deletion. Check if there are any retention settings that could be affecting your ability to delete these files.
4. Storage Limits: Although you mentioned using only 1% of your storage, ensure that your OneDrive is not exceeding its storage limit, as this can also affect file management.
5. Technical Issues: If there are any technical issues with OneDrive, such as syncing problems or errors, these might prevent file deletion. You might want to check for any error messages or try restarting the OneDrive application.

If you continue to experience issues, consider checking the OneDrive support documentation or community forums for more specific troubleshooting steps.

---

References:

• Unable to delete items in SharePoint and OneDrive
• Error 0x80071128 or 0x80071129 when deleting a OneDrive-synced file locally

Answer 3

Partially answering my own question. It seems I can't delete from the Home page. Later, I went to the MyFiles folder and deleted everything - almost. There are still two files on the Home screen that I can't delete. When I tried to open one file it said I don't "have permissions to access this resource." Given that it's a personal account, I have a hard time seeing why I wouldn't have permissions.