SharePoint Online: Delete All Files in a Document Library using PowerShell
Requirement: Delete all documents in library in SharePoint Online
How to Delete All Documents in Library in SharePoint Online?
At times, you may want to delete multiple documents all at once. You can delete multiple files, folders, and sub-folders from a SharePoint Online document library in a few clicks:
- Navigate to your SharePoint Online document library in the browser, hover over the header, and click the checkmark to select all files.
- Click on the “Delete” button on the top link bar.
- on the Delete dialog box, confirm the delete operation by clicking the “Delete” button
- You’ll find the little status box appears in the upper top of the document library telling you that the item has been deleted.
Once all items are deleted from the document library, and the view is updated. The deleted files are moved to the site’s recycle bin.
Tips: You can also use Explorer view to delete multiple files! Go to the library >> Click on “Open with Explorer” option from the Library’s ribbon tab. Select and delete Files!
SharePoint Online: Delete All Files in Document Library using PowerShell
This PowerShell script deletes all files from a given library – without deleting any folders in it!
#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 to Delete all files from a given Folder
Function Delete-AllFilesFromFolder([Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.Folder]$Folder)
{
Try {
#Get All Files from the Folder
$Ctx = $Folder.Context
$Files = $Folder.Files
$Ctx.Load($Files)
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
#Iterate through each File in the Root folder
Foreach($File in $Files)
{
#Delete the file
$Folder.Files.GetByUrl($File.ServerRelativeUrl).Recycle() | Out-Null
Write-host -f Green "Deleted File '$($File.Name)' from '$($File.ServerRelativeURL)'"
}
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
#Process all Sub Folders of the given folder
$SubFolders = $Folder.Folders
$Ctx.Load($SubFolders)
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
Foreach($Folder in $SubFolders)
{
#Exclude "Forms" and Hidden folders
If( ($Folder.Name -ne "Forms") -and (-Not($Folder.Name.StartsWith("_"))))
{
#Call the function recursively
Delete-AllFilesFromFolder -Folder $Folder
}
}
}
Catch {
write-host -f Red "Error:" $_.Exception.Message
}
}
#Variables for Processing
$SiteURL = "https://crescenttech.sharepoint.com/sites/Marketing"
$LibraryRelativeURL = "/sites/Marketing/Shared Documents"
#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 Root Folder of the Library
$RootFolder=$Ctx.Web.GetFolderByServerRelativeUrl($LibraryRelativeURL)
$Ctx.Load($RootFolder)
#Call the function to delete all Files from a Folder
Delete-AllFilesFromFolder -Folder $RootFolder
Please note, These scripts uses “Recycle” method to send files to recycle bin. You can use “Delete” method to permanently delete files!
PowerShell to Delete All Files and Folders in SharePoint Online Document Library
If you want to delete all files and sub-folders in a library, use:
#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"
#Variables for Processing
$SiteURL = "https://crescenttech.sharepoint.com/sites/marketing"
$LibraryRelativeURL = "/Sites/Marketing/Shared Documents"
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 Library and Files
$Folder=$Ctx.Web.GetFolderByServerRelativeUrl($LibraryRelativeURL)
$Ctx.Load($Folder)
$Files = $Folder.Files
$Ctx.Load($Files)
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
#Iterate through each File in the Root folder
Foreach($File in $Files)
{
#Delete the file
$Folder.Files.GetByUrl($File.ServerRelativeUrl).Recycle() | Out-Null
Write-host -f Green "Deleted File '$($File.Name)' from '$($File.ServerRelativeURL)'"
}
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
#Process all Sub Folders
$SubFolders = $Folder.Folders
$Ctx.Load($SubFolders)
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
Foreach($SubFolder in $SubFolders)
{
#Exclude "Forms" and Hidden folders
If( ($SubFolder.Name -ne "Forms") -and (-Not($SubFolder.Name.StartsWith("_"))))
{
#Delete the folder
$Folder.Folders.GetByUrl($SubFolder.ServerRelativeUrl).Recycle()| Out-Null
Write-host -f Green "Deleted Folder '$($SubFolder.Name)' from '$($SubFolder.ServerRelativeUrl)'"
}
$Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
}
}
Catch {
write-host -f Red "Error:" $_.Exception.Message
}
If you want to delete a particular file, use: Delete Files in SharePoint Online using PowerShell
PnP PowerShell to Delete All Files in SharePoint Online Document Library
How do I bulk delete files in SharePoint Online? Well, This PowerShell script deletes all files from all folders and sub-folders of the given document library. (doesn’t delete the folders, BTW!)
#Parameters
$SiteURL = "https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/icdocs"
$ListName = "Images"
#Connect to the Site
Connect-PnPOnline -URL $SiteURL -UseWebLogin
#Get the web & document Library
$Web = Get-PnPWeb
$List = Get-PnPList -Identity $ListName
#Function to delete all items in a folder - and sub-folders recursively
Function Delete-AllFilesFromFolder($Folder)
{
#Get the site relative path of the Folder
If($Folder.Context.web.ServerRelativeURL -eq "/")
{
$FolderSiteRelativeURL = $Folder.ServerRelativeUrl
}
Else
{
$FolderSiteRelativeURL = $Folder.ServerRelativeUrl.Replace($Folder.Context.web.ServerRelativeURL,[string]::Empty)
}
#Get All files in the folder
$Files = Get-PnPFolderItem -FolderSiteRelativeUrl $FolderSiteRelativeURL -ItemType File
#Delete all files
ForEach ($File in $Files)
{
Write-Host ("Deleting File: '{0}' at '{1}'" -f $File.Name, $File.ServerRelativeURL)
#Delete Item
Remove-PnPFile -ServerRelativeUrl $File.ServerRelativeURL -Force -Recycle
}
#Process all Sub-Folders
$SubFolders = Get-PnPFolderItem -FolderSiteRelativeUrl $FolderSiteRelativeURL -ItemType Folder
Foreach($Folder in $SubFolders)
{
#Exclude "Forms" and Hidden folders
If( ($Folder.Name -ne "Forms") -and (-Not($Folder.Name.StartsWith("_"))))
{
#Call the function recursively
Delete-AllFilesFromFolder -Folder $Folder
}
}
}
#Get the Root Folder of the Document Library and call the function
Delete-AllFilesFromFolder -Folder $List.RootFolder
We can also use Move-PnPListItemToRecycleBin cmdlet to delete files and send them to the recycle bin.
#Config Variables
$SiteURL = "https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/marketing"
$LibraryName = "Project Documents"
#Connect to PnP Online
Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -Credentials (Get-Credential)
#Get All Files from the document library - Exclude Folder Objects
$Files = Get-PnPListItem -List $LibraryName -PageSize 1000 | Where {$_["FileLeafRef"] -like "*.*"}
#Loop through each File
Write-host -f Green "Number of Files Found:"$Files.Count
ForEach($File in $Files)
{
Write-Host ("Deleting File '{0}' at {1}" -f $File["FileLeafRef"], $File["FileRef"])
#Send File
Move-PnPListItemToRecycleBin -List $LibraryName -Identity $File.Id -Force
}
Empty a SharePoint Online Document Library using PnP PowerShell
How about emptying a document library by deleting all files, folders and sub-folders from it?
#Parameters
$SiteURL = "https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/marketing"
$LibraryName = "Documents"
#Connect to the Site
Connect-PnPOnline -URL $SiteURL -UseWebLogin
#Get the web & Root folder of the library
$Web = Get-PnPWeb
$Library = Get-PnPList -Identity $LibraryName -Includes RootFolder
$RootFolder = $Library.RootFolder
#Function to delete all Files and sub-folders from a Folder
Function Empty-PnPFolder($Folder)
{
#Get the site relative path of the Folder
If($Folder.Context.web.ServerRelativeURL -eq "/")
{
$FolderSiteRelativeURL = $Folder.ServerRelativeUrl
}
Else
{
$FolderSiteRelativeURL = $Folder.ServerRelativeUrl.Replace($Folder.Context.web.ServerRelativeURL,[string]::Empty)
}
#Delete all files in the Folder
$Files = Get-PnPFolderItem -FolderSiteRelativeUrl $FolderSiteRelativeURL -ItemType File
ForEach ($File in $Files)
{
#Delete File
Remove-PnPFile -ServerRelativeUrl $File.ServerRelativeURL -Force -Recycle
Write-Host -f Green ("Deleted File: '{0}' at '{1}'" -f $File.Name, $File.ServerRelativeURL)
}
#Process all Sub-Folders
$SubFolders = Get-PnPFolderItem -FolderSiteRelativeUrl $FolderSiteRelativeURL -ItemType Folder
Foreach($SubFolder in $SubFolders)
{
#Exclude "Forms" and Hidden folders
If(($SubFolder.Name -ne "Forms") -and (-Not($SubFolder.Name.StartsWith("_"))))
{
#Call the function recursively
Empty-PnPFolder -Folder $SubFolder
#Delete the folder
Remove-PnPFolder -Name $SubFolder.Name -Folder $FolderSiteRelativeURL -Force -Recycle
Write-Host -f Green ("Deleted Folder: '{0}' at '{1}'" -f $SubFolder.Name, $SubFolder.ServerRelativeURL)
}
}
}
#Call the function to empty document library
Empty-PnPFolder -Folder $RootFolder
Does this circumvent the 5000 limit list view theshold when deleting files in bulk?
Thank you , this is so usefull.
Do you have any suggesstion for if we have a csv file with full link to file need to delete and powershell can import them / auto spit link and fill them to $SiteURL and $LibraryRelativeURL tp process the deletion ?
Appriciated.
Sure, use this script: SharePoint Online: Bulk Delete Files from a CSV using PowerShell