When you delete files in Google Drive they go to the “Trash.” The files stay in the trash until you delete them. Click on the “Trash” category on the left hand side in Google Drive. If you are like me there are thousands of files in there that you had deleted.

Control A

Deleting the files one by one is too tedious. Use Control A to select all of the visible files. (Command A on a Mac). In the toolbar choose “Delete forever” to remove the files permanently from your Drive.

Only about 100 files are visible at a time. Using Control A to select all will remove the files about 100 at a time.

Scroll Down

If you scroll down the page Google Drive will load more files. Scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll…. then use Control A to select all of the files. This will allow you to delete more files at a time.