Bulk Delete Files

Select a folder to view and delete multiple files at once. Choose which file types to display.

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📖 How Mass Delete Files Works

A complete guide to browsing and bulk-deleting files across images, videos, audio, documents, and archives — all in your browser, without installing anything.

100% Private — Your Files Never Leave Your Computer Everything runs inside your browser using the File System Access API. No uploads, no accounts, no tracking. Close the tab and all access is revoked.

🗑️ What This Tool Does

Mass Delete Files lets you open any folder and instantly see every file inside it — images, videos, audio, documents, archives, and everything else — then select and delete them in bulk. There is no scanning algorithm, no similarity matching, and no grouping. It simply shows you what is in the folder and gives you fast, flexible tools to remove what you don't want.

This is the right tool when you know which files you want to remove and just need an efficient way to select and delete many of them at once — for example, clearing a downloads folder, removing temporary files, or cleaning up a project directory.

All File Types

Images, videos, audio, PDFs, Word docs, spreadsheets, archives, and any other file. Use the type filters to show only what you need.

Instant Loading

Files appear in batches of 50 as they are read. No fingerprinting or analysis required — cards appear within seconds even for large folders.

Queue Mode

Stage files for deletion, review them in the Delete Queue tab, then execute. No accidental permanent deletions.

Compare Before Delete

Ctrl+Click any 2+ files and open the Compare modal to view them side-by-side with full metadata before deciding.

↔️ Mass Delete vs. Duplicate Finder — Which Should I Use?

Comparison of when to use Mass Delete versus other Sakarto tools
SituationUse This
I want to see everything in a folder and delete specific files🗑️ Mass Delete
I want the tool to automatically find which files are duplicates🔍 Duplicate Finder
I have a messy downloads or temp folder I want to clean out🗑️ Mass Delete
I want to find near-identical photos I accidentally saved twice🔍 Duplicate Finder
I want to delete documents, archives, and PDFs — not just media🗑️ Mass Delete
I want to find all copies of one specific file across a folder🔁 Reverse Search
I already know what I want to remove, I just need to do it fast🗑️ Mass Delete

🧠 How It Works

Unlike the duplicate finder, this tool performs no analysis — no fingerprinting, no comparison, no grouping. It reads files and renders cards as fast as possible so you can start selecting immediately.

  1. Read the Folder via File System Access API

    When you select a folder, the browser reads every file and subdirectory recursively. Each file's name, size, MIME type, and path are loaded. No file content is read yet — only the metadata needed to build a card.

  2. Classify by File Type

    Each file is classified as image, video, audio, document, archive, or other — using both MIME type and file extension as fallbacks. Files whose type doesn't match any enabled checkbox filter are skipped entirely.

  3. Render Cards in Batches of 50

    Cards are built synchronously and appended to the DOM in batches of 50, yielding to the event loop between batches. This keeps the page responsive even while loading thousands of files. The progress bar shows how far along the scan is.

  4. Lazy-Load Images & Thumbnails

    Image cards use IntersectionObserver to decode and display thumbnails only when they scroll into view (with a 200px lookahead margin). This prevents the page from decoding thousands of images at startup. Videos play on hover. Audio cards render a built-in player immediately without needing the full file decoded.

  5. Delete via File System Access API

    When you execute a delete operation, each file's FileSystemFileHandle.remove() method is called. This permanently deletes the file from disk — bypassing the OS Recycle Bin. There is no undo. The card is removed from the grid after successful deletion.

📋 File Type Filters

The welcome screen has six file type checkboxes. Only files matching enabled types are loaded and shown. Your selections are saved to localStorage so they persist across sessions.

What each file type filter includes
FilterWhat it includes
🖼️ ImagesJPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, BMP — shown as lazy-loaded thumbnails
🎬 VideosMP4, WebM, MOV, MKV, AVI — play on hover with mute toggle
🎵 AudioMP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, M4A, WMA — shown with built-in player
📄 DocumentsPDF, DOC/DOCX, XLS/XLSX, PPT/PPTX, TXT, MD, CSV — shown with type icon
📦 ArchivesZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, GZ, BZ2 — shown with archive icon
📎 OtherAnything not classified above — shown with a generic file icon
Uncheck to focus. If you only want to see images, uncheck everything else before selecting the folder. This speeds up loading and reduces noise when reviewing.

📋 Step-by-Step: How to Use Mass Delete

Step 1

Choose Which File Types to Show

On the welcome screen, check or uncheck the file type boxes. If you only want images and videos, uncheck Documents, Archives, Audio, and Other. Your selection is remembered next time.

Step 2

Select a Folder

Click 📂 Select Folder. A native folder picker opens (Chrome / Edge). Or drag and drop a folder directly onto the page. Subfolders are included automatically — all files are read recursively.

Step 3

Browse and Select Files

Files appear as cards in a grid. Use any of these selection methods:

  • Click a card to select it (blue border)
  • Click & drag on empty space to box-select multiple cards at once
  • Ctrl + drag to add to an existing selection without clearing it
  • Ctrl+Click (Cmd+Click on Mac) to add a card to the compare list (purple border)
  • Right-click any card for the context menu
Step 4

Preview Before Deciding

For any file, click the 🔍 hover icon to open a full-size preview with metadata (dimensions, size, type, path). Audio files open with a modal player. Videos show a frame capture. Documents and archives show a large type icon with the extension.

To compare 2+ files side-by-side: Ctrl+Click them, then click ⚖️ Compare in the toolbar. Each item shows its preview, metadata, and a Delete button for quick action from inside the modal.

Step 5

Delete — With Queue Mode (Recommended)

Select the files you want to delete, then click 🗑️ Delete in the toolbar. With Queue Mode on (the default), files are added to the Delete Queue tab instead of being deleted immediately.

Switch to the Delete Queue tab in the sidebar. Review the staged files, preview any you're unsure about, remove items with the ✕ button if you change your mind, then click Delete All Files to execute.

Step 6

Delete Without Queue Mode

Uncheck Queue Mode in the toolbar if you prefer immediate deletion. Clicking Delete will show a confirmation dialog, then delete immediately. A first-time warning explains the permanent nature of the action — you can check "Don't show again" once you've understood it.

🏛️ Quick Reference — All Controls

All toolbar buttons and keyboard shortcuts for Bulk Delete
Button / ActionWhat it does
🔄 Select New FolderReload the page and pick a new folder to browse
📋 Copy Names (N)Copy selected filenames to clipboard. N = count.
🗑️ Delete (N)Delete selected files or stage them in the Delete Queue. N = count.
✕ Deselect AllRemove selection from all cards
⚖️ Compare (N)Open compare modal for Ctrl+clicked files. Needs 2+.
🔇 VideosMute / unmute all video cards
🔇 AudioMute / unmute all audio players
Queue Mode checkboxStage files before deleting. Recommended on. Appears after first scan.
File type checkboxesFilter which file types are loaded. Set before selecting a folder.
Click cardSelect / deselect the file
Ctrl + Click cardAdd / remove from compare list (purple border)
Click & drag (empty area)Box-select multiple cards at once
Ctrl + dragAdd to existing selection with box
Right-click cardContext menu: Copy Name / Delete / Add to Compare
🔍 hover iconOpen full-size preview with metadata and Delete button
Hover video cardAuto-play the video clip. Stops on mouse leave.
▶️ on audio cardPlay audio. Pauses all other players on page automatically.
←/→ on progress barSeek audio backward/forward 5 seconds when bar is focused
📥 Download ListExport a plain-text list of all files with size and type
Show as listToggle a text view of all file paths for copy/export

📱 How Each File Type is Displayed

Each file type has a distinct card style so you can quickly identify what you're looking at without opening a preview.

Images

Lazy-loaded thumbnails using IntersectionObserver. Only images within 200px of the viewport are decoded. Clicking the 🔍 icon shows a full-size scaled preview in a modal.

Videos

Card shows a video element that plays on mouse hover and pauses on mouse leave. A "🎬 VIDEO" badge identifies the type. The 🔍 icon opens a preview with playback controls.

Audio

Cards show a purple gradient art area with a 🎵 icon, plus a custom play/pause/seek/mute player. Playing one track pauses all others. The 🔍 preview opens a larger modal player.

Documents

PDFs show 📕, Word docs 📘, Excel 📗, PowerPoint 📙, other text 📄. No preview image is generated — the icon and extension badge identify the file. Clicking 🔍 shows the icon at full size with metadata.

Archives & Other

Archives show 📦 with the extension (ZIP, RAR, 7Z). Other files show 📎. Like documents, no preview is generated — the icon and extension are the identification.

📦 Queue Mode — How It Works

Queue Mode is the recommended way to delete files. It adds a review step between selecting files and permanently deleting them.

  1. Select files and click Delete

    Files are moved to the Delete Queue instead of deleted immediately. A badge reading "🗑 DELETE" appears on each staged card in the main grid so you can see at a glance what's queued.

  2. Switch to the Delete Queue tab

    Click 🗑 Delete Queue in the sidebar. Every staged file appears as a card. You can preview each one (click 🔍), play audio files, watch videos, and review metadata before committing.

  3. Remove files you changed your mind about

    Click the button on any queue card to remove it from the queue and keep the file. It will no longer be deleted when you execute.

  4. Execute the deletion

    Click Delete All Files. A confirmation warning appears (first time) reminding you this is permanent. Files are deleted one by one. Successfully deleted files are removed from the grid. Failed deletions are reported in a toast.

💡 Tips for Best Results

Back Up First

Always back up important files before bulk-deleting. There is no undo — the File System Access API bypasses the Recycle Bin entirely.

Filter to One Type at a Time

For focused cleanup, uncheck all file types except the one you want to deal with. This reduces cognitive load and speeds up card rendering.

Always Use Queue Mode

Queue Mode gives you a second chance to review before executing. It takes only one extra click but can save you from accidentally deleting the wrong file.

Preview Before Queuing

For documents, archives, and other non-media files where you can't easily identify content from the card, click 🔍 to check the path and metadata first.

Box-Select for Speed

Click and drag on any empty area in the results grid to rubber-band select a group of cards at once. Much faster than clicking each one individually.

Export the List First

Before deleting, click Download List to save a text file of all files with their paths and sizes. You'll have a record of what was in the folder.

⚠️ Known Limitations

No undo for deletion.

Files deleted via FileSystemFileHandle.remove() are permanently removed — they do not go to the Recycle Bin or Trash. Always use Queue Mode and review before executing.

Memory limit for very large folders.

Each card holds a reference to the file handle and metadata. For folders with 10,000+ files, RAM usage can become significant. Scan specific subfolders rather than entire drives.

Delete requires Chrome or Edge.

The File System Access API (needed for native folder picking and file deletion) is only available in Chrome 86+ and Edge 86+. In Firefox and Safari, the folder picker and deletion features do not work. Use "Download List" to export a file list in those browsers.

Single folder at a time.

You can only browse one folder per session. To delete files from two separate folders, run two separate sessions or scan their common parent directory.

No document preview content.

PDFs, Word documents, and similar files are shown with a type icon only — no content preview is rendered. Use your operating system's file manager to open them if you need to inspect the content before deleting.

No cloud or network drive support.

The File System Access API works with local file systems. Network drives, OneDrive, Dropbox, or other cloud-synced folders may not work reliably depending on how they are mounted.

🔒 Privacy & Security

Zero network activity after page load. Open DevTools → Network tab and verify: no outbound requests at any point during browsing, previewing, or deleting.
No file content is transmitted. Images are decoded in your browser for thumbnail display. Audio and video are played locally. No file data is sent anywhere.
Folder access is scoped and session-only. Permission is granted only for the specific folder you select, lasts only while the tab is open, and is revocable from browser site settings at any time.
Only preferences are saved. File type checkboxes and Queue Mode preference are stored in localStorage. No file names, paths, or deletion history are ever saved.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover files after deleting them?
No. Files deleted through this tool use the File System Access API's remove() method, which bypasses the OS Recycle Bin entirely. Deleted files cannot be recovered through normal means. Always enable Queue Mode and review the queue carefully before executing any deletion.
Why doesn't the delete button work in Firefox or Safari?
The File System Access API, which this tool uses for folder reading and file deletion, is only supported in Chrome 86+ and Edge 86+. Firefox and Safari do not support it. In those browsers, the folder picker and delete operations are unavailable. You can still use the tool to export a file list via Download List and manually delete files in your operating system's file manager.
How is this different from the Duplicate Finder?
The Duplicate Finder analyzes file content to find near-identical files automatically — it groups similar images, videos, or audio together so you can decide which duplicates to remove. Mass Delete does none of that: it simply shows you all files in a folder so you can select and remove whichever ones you choose. Use Duplicate Finder when you don't know which files are duplicates. Use Mass Delete when you already know what you want to remove.
The page is slow after loading a large folder. What can I do?
Large folders with thousands of files create a lot of DOM elements and hold many file handles in memory. To improve performance: (1) uncheck file types you don't need before scanning, (2) scan a specific subfolder rather than the entire drive, (3) close other browser tabs to free up RAM, and (4) use a recent version of Chrome or Edge which have better memory management for the File System Access API.
Some files failed to delete. What does that mean?
A file can fail to delete if: it is currently open in another application (file lock), you don't have the required OS permissions to delete it, or the network drive it's on disconnected. The toast message shows how many succeeded and how many failed. Failed files remain in the queue so you can retry after closing any blocking applications.
Can I use this to delete subfolders?
No. This tool deletes individual files, not directories. The File System Access API's remove() method on a file handle removes the file only. To delete entire folders, use your operating system's file manager.
What does the "Download List" button do?
Download List exports a plain-text .txt file listing every file in the current view with its path, size, and type. This is useful as a record of what was in the folder before you deleted anything, or for sharing the file list with someone else without sending the actual files.
I accidentally closed the Delete Queue. Did I lose my selection?
No — switching back to the Delete Queue tab will restore it. The queue is held in memory for the lifetime of the browser tab. However, if you reload the page or navigate away, the queue and all selections are cleared.