Windows 🟢 Beginner

How to Delete Your Microsoft Teams Files

Written by

Richard

Jul 4, 2026 Updated Sep 15, 2026 2 min read

How to delete your Microsoft Teams files

Deleting files in Microsoft Teams removes them permanently from both your Teams channels and your connected OneDrive storage account after a short recovery window. Microsoft Teams stores shared documents in cloud storage, meaning any file deleted from a team chat or channel vanishes from every location at once.

You need to double-check your selection before deleting any document because recovery options are limited once files leave the recycle bin . Files removed from personal chat threads disappear from your personal OneDrive storage just like channel files do.

⚡ Quick Answer

Delete your Microsoft Teams files by opening OneDrive, navigating to the “Microsoft Teams Chat Files” folder, selecting the files, and confirming their deletion. You can access OneDrive via its app or website.

Deleting Your Teams Files

You delete Teams files by opening your OneDrive storage space where all your chat and channel documents are saved. Every file you share in a chat goes to your personal OneDrive, while channel files go to your team’s SharePoint site. Finding the right folder lets you remove unwanted items quickly so they stop taking up your storage space.

Step 1: Go to Your OneDrive

Open your OneDrive app or go to the OneDrive website. Log in if prompted.

Microsoft Teams files overview in OneDrive, showing file management options. — Microsoft Teams files interface showing shared documents and chat history.

Step 2: Find the “Microsoft Teams Chat Files” Folder

Look for a folder named "Microsoft Teams Chat Files" in your OneDrive. This directory contains files shared or received in Teams chats.

Locating the 'Microsoft Teams Chat Files' folder within OneDrive. — Microsoft Teams files folder within OneDrive, ready for organization.

Step 3: Choose Which Files to Delete

Delete files from your phone or your computer using the steps below.

On your phone: Press and hold a file to select it. Then, tap the delete symbol (it usually looks like a trash can).
On your computer: Click a file to select it. You can use the Ctrl or Shift keys to select more than one file. Then, right-click on the files you've chosen and select "Delete," or simply press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Selecting Microsoft Teams files in OneDrive for deletion process. — Selecting Microsoft Teams files folder in OneDrive for deletion.

Step 4: Confirm Deletion

After picking the files to remove, confirm the deletion to complete the process.

⚠️WarningBe very careful to only delete files from the "Microsoft Teams Chat Files" folder.

Deleting important files from other folders in your OneDrive can cause problems.

Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/teams/free/settings/export-or-delete-your-data-in-microsoft-teams-free

Summary

Go to OneDrive and remove unwanted items from the "Microsoft Teams Chat Files" folder.

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Tags: #Windows 11

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About the Author

Richard

Tech Writer, IT Professional

Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.

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