What happens when you delete a file?

Deleting a file removes it from your active view. Deletion does not destroy the file immediately: it moves to the trash, where it stays recoverable for 30 days. After that period, it is permanently purged and the deletion becomes irreversible.

The trash: 30 days

After a deletion, your files stay in the trash for 30 days. During this period, you can restore them: see Restore a deleted file.

During these 30 days, the file no longer appears in your active view, but it has not been erased yet. If you deleted a file by mistake, you therefore have this window to get it back.

Permanent erasure

After the 30-day period, deleted files are permanently purged. During this purge, Everabyte destroys the file’s encryption key: the ciphertext becomes permanently unreadable, including in backups still in rotation.

The stored file is only ciphertext: once its key is destroyed, that ciphertext can no longer be read, wherever the copy lives — active storage as well as backups.

If you are unsure about a file, keep it in your space rather than deleting it: restoring is only possible during the trash period, and permanent erasure cannot be undone.

Common issues

Can I restore a deleted file?

Yes, for 30 days: the file stays in the trash and can be restored. See the dedicated restore article.

Can a permanently purged file be recovered?

No. The purge destroys the file’s encryption key, making it permanently unreadable — including in backups.

How long does the trash keep files?

30 days. After that period, files are permanently purged.

Why is the purge final?

Because the file’s encryption key is destroyed: without it, the ciphertext can no longer be read, including in backups still in rotation.

Are deleting and purging the same thing?

No. Deleting removes the file from your active view and moves it to the trash for 30 days; the purge, after that period, erases it permanently.