> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://academy.shade.inc/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://academy.shade.inc/guides/search-ai-and-archives/clean-up-storage.md).

# Clean up storage

Find and remove duplicate files, empty the trash safely, and keep storage under control.

**Outcome:** duplicate copies removed, the trash emptied of things you're sure about, and a routine that keeps storage from creeping up again.

**Who it's for:** workspace admins watching storage use, especially after a migration.

**Time:** about 30 minutes for the first pass, then about 10 minutes each quarter.

## Before you start

* Have edit access to the drives you're cleaning up.
* Remember that files in the trash still count toward workspace storage until they're deleted permanently.

## Steps

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Review duplicates, biggest first

In the left sidebar, open the drive and click **Duplicates**. Each group shows how many copies there are and how much storage the extra copies use. Start with the groups wasting the most.

Shade compares file contents, not names, so files flagged here are identical even if they're named differently. Duplicates are found within a drive, not across drives. See [Duplicate Detection](https://academy.shade.inc/assets/duplicate-detection).
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Keep the copy that's in use

Before deleting a copy, right-click it to reveal it in its folder and check whether it's referenced somewhere, such as a collection, a share link, or an editing project. Keep the copy in the folder people actually use, and trash the rest from the **Duplicates** view.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Editing projects point at specific file paths. Deleting the copy a project uses breaks its links to that media, even if an identical file exists elsewhere.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Empty the trash deliberately

Open the drive's **Trash**. Restore anything you're unsure about by moving it back into the drive. For the rest, right-click and choose **Delete Immediately** to free the space. This can't be undone. See [Managing your Trash](https://academy.shade.inc/workspaces-and-drives/managing-your-trash).
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Move finished work out of active drives

Move completed projects into a shared **Archive** drive. If your plan supports it, back that drive with your own storage. See [Bring Your Own S3 Storage](https://academy.shade.inc/byos/bring-your-own-s3-storage).
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Repeat each quarter

Duplicates are rechecked periodically, so new copies show up over time. Put a quarterly reminder on the calendar to repeat the first three steps.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="danger" %}
Files deleted directly from a mounted drive in Finder or Explorer skip Shade's trash and can't be recovered. Delete from the Shade app instead.
{% endhint %}

## Related guides

* [Build a searchable archive](/guides/search-ai-and-archives/build-a-searchable-archive.md)
* [Migrate from Dropbox or Google Drive](/guides/setup-and-migration/migrate-from-dropbox-or-google-drive.md)


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