SharePoint Online: How to Delete a File from Document Library using PowerShell?
Requirement: Delete a file from the SharePoint Online document library using PowerShell
How to Delete a File in SharePoint Online?
One of the most common tasks you will need to do with SharePoint is to delete files. In this blog post, we will show you how to delete a file in SharePoint Online. Deleting a file is a simple process and can be done in just a few steps. We’ll walk you through the process so that you can delete files quickly and easily. We’ll also see how to delete a file in SharePoint Online using PowerShell.
To delete a single document from a library, do the following:
- In SharePoint Online site, navigate to the document library.
- Select the File you want to delete and click on “Delete” button from the toolbar. You can also select and delete multiple files!
- Confirm delete by clicking on “Delete” button in the confirmation popup.
- You can also hover over the document you want to delete and click on “Delete” from the context menu. You’ll find a notification in the top of the document library telling you that the item has been deleted. The deleted item is moved to the site’s recycle bin.
SharePoint Online: PowerShell to Delete a File from Document Library
If you’re like me, you probably have a lot of files in your SharePoint Online site that you no longer need. Deleting these files one by one can be really tedious, but with PowerShell, it’s easy! This blog post will show you how to use PowerShell to delete files from your SharePoint Online site. Let’s get started!
Here is how to delete a SharePoint Online file using PowerShell:
#Load SharePoint CSOM Assemblies
Add-Type -Path "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\ISAPI\Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.dll"
Add-Type -Path "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\ISAPI\Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.Runtime.dll"
Function Remove-SPOFile()
{
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string] $SiteURL,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string] $FileRelativeURL
)
Try {
#Get Credentials to connect
$Cred= Get-Credential
$Credentials = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.SharePointOnlineCredentials($Cred.Username, $Cred.Password)
#Setup the context
$Ctx = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.ClientContext($SiteURL)
$Ctx.Credentials = $Credentials
#Get the file to delete
$File = $Ctx.Web.GetFileByServerRelativeUrl($FileRelativeURL)
$Ctx.Load($File)
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
#Delete the file
$File.DeleteObject()
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
write-host -f Green "File has been deleted successfully!"
}
Catch {
write-host -f Red "Error deleting file !" $_.Exception.Message
}
}
#Set parameter values
$SiteURL="https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/Ops/"
$FileRelativeURL="/sites/Ops/Shared Documents/Investment Process.pptx"
#Call the function
Remove-SPOFile -SiteURL $SiteURL -FileRelativeURL $FileRelativeURL
This script deletes the file from the given URL. There are scenarios where you may have to delete a file using its item ID. Here is another script to remove a document using its item ID in SharePoint Online.
Delete a File from SharePoint Online Library using PowerShell:
This time, let’s delete a document from SharePoint Online using its Item ID.
#Load SharePoint CSOM Assemblies
Add-Type -Path "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\ISAPI\Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.dll"
Add-Type -Path "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\ISAPI\Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.Runtime.dll"
Function Remove-SPOFile()
{
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string] $SiteURL,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string] $LibraryName,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string] $ItemID
)
Try {
#Get Credentials to connect
$Cred= Get-Credential
$Credentials = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.SharePointOnlineCredentials($Cred.Username, $Cred.Password)
#Setup the context
$Ctx = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.ClientContext($SiteURL)
$Ctx.Credentials = $Credentials
#Get the list by title
$List=$Ctx.web.Lists.GetByTitle($LibraryName)
#Get the item to delete by ID
$Item=$List.GetItemById($ItemID)
#Get the file to delete
$File=$Item.File
#Delete the file
$File.DeleteObject()
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
write-host -f Green "File has been deleted successfully!"
}
Catch {
write-host -f Red "Error deleting file !" $_.Exception.Message
}
}
#Set parameter values
$SiteURL="https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/Ops/"
$LibraryName="Documents"
$ItemID="16"
#Call the function
Remove-SPOFile -SiteURL $SiteURL -LibraryName $LibraryName -ItemID $ItemID
Delete File in SharePoint Online using PnP PowerShell
Let’s delete a file in SharePoint Online PowerShell:
#Config Variables
$SiteURL = "https://Crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/marketing"
$FileRelativeURL ="/sites/Marketing/Shared Documents/Possible Deals.xlsx"
#Get Credentials to connect
$Cred = Get-Credential
Try {
#Connect to PnP Online
Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -Credentials $Cred
#Try to Get File
$File = Get-PnPFile -Url $FileRelativeURL -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
If($File)
{
#Delete the File
Remove-PnPFile -ServerRelativeUrl $FileRelativeURL -Force
Write-Host -f Green "File $FileRelativeURL deleted successfully!"
}
Else
{
Write-Host -f Yellow "Could not Find File at $FileRelativeURL"
}
}
catch {
write-host "Error: $($_.Exception.Message)" -foregroundcolor Red
}
This removes the File permanently. Use -Recycle switch to send the file to recycle bin instead!
To delete all files from a SharePoint Online document library, use: SharePoint Online: Delete All Files from a Document Library using PowerShell
I tried to delete a large file and getting the timed out error. Any advice? Thank you in advance!
Error deleting file ! Exception calling “ExecuteQuery” with “0” argument(s): “The operation has timed out”
I want the same in On prem?
Here is the PowerShell script to delete a file from SharePoint On-Premises: How to Delete a File in SharePoint using PowerShell?
How can we delete files and folders based on modified date.
Use this Script: SharePoint Online: Delete Files Older than 30 days using PowerShell