Microsoft Teams makes it easy to stay in touch with your colleagues and share work files in chat. But what happens when you accidentally send the wrong file? Removing the file from the chat all at once will be the best way to prevent any problems that mixing can cause.
Read this guide to learn how to delete files from Microsoft Teams chats before sending a file that accidentally causes problems for the whole team.
How to delete files from chat in Microsoft Teams on PC
You’d think removing an unnecessary file from a Microsoft Teams chat would be as easy as ABC. But when I click on the three dots next to the file, the delete option can’t be found anywhere. So, can you even delete files from Microsoft Teams chats? Yes, but it will involve more than just clicking the delete button.
You can delete the message containing the file to remove it from the chat. Although this won’t completely remove the file, it is a convenient temporary solution until you track down the file and delete it completely. Follow these steps to delete a Microsoft Teams chat message that contains a file on your computer:
- Open Microsoft Teams Desktop application and find the chat where the file is.
- Click on the three dots next to the message.
- Click Delete to remove the message. The message will disappear, but the “This message has been deleted” note will still let your teammates know that the file has been deleted.
Deleting the message will not only delete the file from the chat panel, but also remove it from the list of shared files. Click the Files tab next to Chat at the top, and you’ll see that your file appears to be gone. However, this is not entirely true.
When you upload a file in a Microsoft Teams chat, it is automatically saved to Microsoft’s cloud storage service, OneDrive. Simply deleting the message will not delete the file from the drive. The person you shared it with will still have access to the “Deleted” portion of the document. All they need to do is go to their shared folder on OneDrive and click on the “Shared with me” tab to find it.
Therefore, when you remove a file from a chat, it is also recommended to delete it from your OneDrive. Here’s how to find and delete files shared in Microsoft Teams chats on your PC:
- to open Microsoft Teams And click on the three horizontal dots in the left sidebar.
- Choose files.”
- Click “Cloud Storage”. You will be taken to your OneDrive.
- Find and open the “Microsoft Teams Chat Files” folder.
- Find the files you want to delete.
- Check the file or files, and a toolbar will appear at the top.
- Click the Delete button, then confirm your choice to remove the files.
You may be wondering if you can skip deleting the message and head straight to OneDrive to remove the file. If you delete the file from OneDrive first, the file will become unavailable but will still appear in the list of chat files, which can cause some confusion.
Files you delete from OneDrive will go to the Recycle Bin in OneDrive. It won’t be available on OneDrive or in a Microsoft Teams chat anymore, but it can still be restored for up to 93 days. If you have no reason to keep it, permanently remove it in the following way:
- Open OneDrive And find the Recycle Bin folder in the left sidebar.
- Check the files you want to permanently delete.
- Click the “Delete” button at the top.
Deleting a file from OneDrive isn’t always necessary. If you simply share your file with the wrong person, revoking access is the best measure to prevent them from accessing the file. Follow these steps:
- Go to your……. OneDrive and find the document you want to revoke access to.
- Click “Info” at the top right and select “Manage Access” from the menu.
- You will see a list of users who can currently access your file.
- Stop sharing with users you no longer want to share your file with.
Taking these extra steps after deleting the chat message that contains the file can be annoying, but they are necessary to keep your work organized.
How to delete files from chat in Microsoft Teams on iPhone
Did you accidentally send the wrong file in the Microsoft Teams iPhone app? Fortunately, the app makes removing files from chat a breeze. Deleting the message containing the document will remove the file from the chat and the list of files in the adjacent tab. However, it will still be available on OneDrive, and you’ll need to remove it separately from there if you want to delete access to it. Here’s what to do to delete a message in the iOS app:
- open the Microsoft Teams The app on your iPhone.
- Go to the chat where you want to delete a file.
- Tap and hold the message until the menu pops up.
- Select “Delete message”. You can also edit the message if you don’t want to delete it completely.
Next, remove the file from OneDrive as well:
- head to file OneDrive Application.
- Open the “Microsoft Teams Chat Files” folder.
- Find the file you want to delete and tap the three dots next to it.
- Select Delete to move the file to the Recycle Bin in OneDrive.
How to delete files from chat in Microsoft Teams on an Android device
If you are using Microsoft Teams on your Android device, follow these steps to remove a file from the chat.
- Play file Microsoft Teams android app.
- Open the chat where the file you want to delete is located.
- Press and hold on the message. The menu will pop up.
- Press “Delete” to remove the message.
Although this will remove the file from the chat and the corresponding file list, it will not delete it completely. The file will still be available to the people you shared it with. You’ll need to delete the file from OneDrive as well:
- Open OneDrive Application.
- Find a folder called “Microsoft Teams Chat Files”.
- Find the file you want to delete in this folder.
- Tap on the three-dot menu and select “Delete”.
The file will be moved to the Recycle Bin in OneDrive. On a business account, you can restore it for up to 93 days, or delete it permanently so it doesn’t take up much space.
questions and answers
Where are files from Microsoft Teams chats stored?
When you upload a file to a Microsoft Teams chat, the file is automatically saved to your OneDrive. You can find these chat files in a dedicated folder on your OneDrive called “Microsoft Teams Chat Files.” However, if you share a file from your OneDrive, the file will still be in the OneDrive folder where you originally stored it. Files other users send you through Teams conversations will be in the Shared with me section of the OneDrive shared folder.
How do you recover a deleted file in Microsoft Teams chats?
If you deleted a message that you didn’t mean to, restore it by clicking the “Undo” button right after the deletion. If you also delete the file from OneDrive, you will be able to find it in the OneDrive Recycle Bin for the next 93 days (on a business account).
Why can’t I delete a file from Microsoft Teams?
A permission issue can prevent you from deleting messages from Microsoft Teams conversations. Guest users usually do not have such permission, but some companies also encourage transparency by disabling this functionality. Contact the chat administrator to see if this is the problem. If you’re having trouble deleting a file from OneDrive, the file might not be yours. You can’t delete files shared with you through Teams chats.
Keep your files in order
Realizing that removing a file from Microsoft Teams conversations may not actually delete the file is critical. Ensure that no incident causes confusion among your team members by managing access to your files using the tips above.
Were you able to locate your Microsoft Teams chat files? How do you think chat file management in Microsoft Teams could be improved? Let us know in the comments below.
