How to Clean Up Google Drive Without Losing Shared Files

Reclaim storage space on Google Drive by identifying large files and clearing trash without deleting data shared by others.

1. Sort files by storage size. Log in to drive.google.com and click Storage in the left-hand navigation menu. The list view will automatically populate with your files sorted by size in descending order, showing the largest files first.
2. Distinguish between owned and shared files. Click on a file to view its properties in the right-hand sidebar. Under the Details tab, check the Owner field; if your name is listed, you own the file and it counts against your storage, whereas files owned by others are safe to remove from your view without affecting the owner's storage.
3. Delete redundant owned files. Select the large files you own that are no longer needed. Press the Backspace key or click the trash icon in the top toolbar to move them to the Bin.
4. Clear shared items from your view. Navigate to the Shared with me folder. Right-click any folders or files you no longer need to reference and select Remove; this action severs your link to the file, freeing up organization space without deleting the source file owned by your colleague.
5. Empty the Bin. Click Bin in the left sidebar to view deleted items. Click Empty bin in the top right corner to permanently remove these files and update your storage statistics.