Delete a file

[clausw79315086]

I am new to AI. I have read all the instructions, but I still do not how to delete a file. I know I can restrict the number of files on the work page, but I want to actually delete files, that I have played with? I do not see a garbage can anywhere.

[Silkrooster]

Deleting files on your system requires a file viewer like Windows explorer or Mac's finder. If I am misunderstanding you, please go into more detail and/or show a full screen capture.

[Om Nath Jha]

Hi Claus,

Deleting a file created in Illustrator can be done at the system level. For example, you have created a file in AI and saved it on Desktop, you can delete it from desktop itself. If you have not saved a file that you were working on in AI, you can simply exit the application and choose don't save option while quitting. Hope that helps. If we misunderstood you, please elaborate your issue.

Regards,

Om

[clausw79315086]

Hi Ohmnath,

I have attached a screen shot of the art board. As you can see there are files with the same names even. I know I can limit the number of files shown on the art board, but I actually want to delete these - like you can do in every other program I know. Please advise. Thanks

Best regards

Claus

[SJRiegel]

Claus

Your screen shot is not showing in the forum; email attachments don't work here. Log onto the forum page, and use the image icon to attach your screen shot.

[clausw79315086]

O.K., So I try to attach the screen shot to this page.

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Ah. You are trying to remove files from the recent files list on the start window?

You can ignore them and they will eventually be replaced by newer files, or you can clear the entire list by going to Preferences > File Handling and Clipboard and set Number of Recent Files to Display to 0, click OK. Quit Illustrator, restart it, and then come back and set it the desired number.

To Find this dialog box

Mac: Illustrator > Preferences > File Handling and Clipboard

Windows: Edit > Preferences > File Handling and Clipboard

[clausw79315086]

Thank you. That was very helpful. I would never have figured that out myself.

[joanp99764284]

That is helpful, thanks. Now I wonder how to delete SOME but not all of the files. I'd rather free up the memory sooner instead of waiting for the system to eventually delete them -- plus it's been a long time since I opened several of my started documents and yet they still show.

[Test Screen Name]

What do you mean by "free up the memory"? Do you mean storage (disk) space? Because deleting files from the "recent" list does not free ANY disk space or ANY memory at all. The file will still be there. The system does not delete them. Illustrator does not delete them. Only YOU delete them, in the usual way.

[jojovovo]

Ok I just figured this out myself!! No one was giving the right answer lmao. You don't delete the files from the illustrator window.  Open up the Creative Cloud app, go up to files at the top, when you click on them it will give you the option to delete.

[Monika Gause]

Ok I just figured this out myself!! No one was giving the right answer lmao.

By @jojovovo

The thread opener had their question answered as they have clearly stated back in 2016. So why do you think the answers were incorrent?

You are talking about something different (which Test Screen Name already mentioned back in 2016): actually deleting files from the disk. And btw: Cloud Files can be deleted from Inside Illustrator as well (talking about version 2022 here). All you need to do is go to the Home Screen and then to Your files and then click on the 3 dots to open the additional menu.

Locally saved files cannot be deleted that way. But neither can they be deleted using the Creative Cloud app.

[jojovovo]

I'm not sure their question was really answered- but you are totally right about being able to delete them from "my files" in the illustrator app.  Couldn't figure that out.

[Monika Gause]

I can't find any other way to interpret this statement other than "the question has been answered".

[jojovovo]

The OP wanted to DELETE a file.  That's literally the name of the post. No one explained how to delete a file - only how to hide recent files from the homescreen. I'm done, goodbye.

[luism39406721]

Thank you. This is infuriating. You can't ask a simple question in any of these community support forums without a mob jumping on you with absolutely everything but the a direct answer to the question you are asking? Instead they ask why would you want to do what you want to do, etc. Or why wouldn't you just do this other kind of related thing? Maddening. How do I delete a file? Worse than no answer, a dozen non-answers. 

[Doug A Roberts]

The first two answers relate to deleting a file in your OS, which prior to Cloud files was the only answer.

The OP actually wanted files removed from their 'recent files' list however, and an answer was provided for that.

jojovovo and Monika's discussion relates to deleting Cloud files.

All of these are the 'right' answer, and seem fairly direct to me.

[Laci32605509h3kl]

Thank you this was specifically what I needed information on. You're awesome 

[luism39406721 · Accepted solution]

If your files are saved on your computer, delete them from a finder window (Mac). If you don't know where files are being saved, create one and a dialog will open up with the last palce a file was saved. Go there, then delete-away. 

As for documents saved using Adobe's cloud, go to Adobe Cloud and log in and go to "Your Files". Each of your files has a little check box to select it. When you check one or more of these, you'll see a delete option in the menu bar.