delete document

Question

how do I delete a microsoft word document - alex

Answer 1

If the document is stored in Microsoft 365 on the web:

1. Open the Microsoft 365 app, or go to Microsoft365.com and sign in.
2. On the home page, under Quick access or My Content, find the Word document.
3. Select ... More options > Delete.
4. Confirm the deletion.

If the file is in a shared location such as a SharePoint folder, select Go to file location and complete the deletion there.

Important:

• Files go to the OneDrive Recycle bin and can be restored from there.
• Files cannot be deleted if they are not owned, are currently being edited, or were already deleted.
• In Word for the web, file deletion is normally done from OneDrive or Microsoft 365, not from inside the Word app.

If the document is in a SharePoint document library:

1. Open the library.
2. Select the document by checking the box next to it.
3. Select Delete on the toolbar.
4. Confirm Delete.

If the file is checked out, it must be checked back in before it can be deleted.

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References:

• Delete a file from Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Support
• Delete a file, folder, or link from a SharePoint document library | Microsoft Support
• Delete files in a library | Microsoft Support
• "delete" button greyed out in Word 365 online - Microsoft Q&A

Answer 2

Deleting a document is a file management task. If the document is stored on a computer, use File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS). Regarding Windows File Explorer, read the support article at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/collab-files/delete-a-file.

If you are using cloud storage, use the corresponding functions of that cloud storage. For OneDrive, see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/onedrive/delete-files-or-folders-in-onedrive.