---
title: How to archive, remove, and delete photos and videos in your PhotoStructure library
url: https://photostructure.com/guide/archive-remove-delete/
date: 2021-12-27
keywords: asset-management, library, search, Docker
---


{{% note %}}
**These instructions are for PhotoStructure v2.0 and later.**
{{% /note %}}

{{% plus-only %}}
These new features are only available to <span class="plus-pill">plus</span> subscribers.
[**Learn more**](/pricing)
{{% /plus-only %}}

<!--
<dl>
<dt>Asset</dt>
<dd><span class="details">Noun:</span> any photo or video in your PhotoStructure library</dd>
</dl>

First off, let's define what an "asset" versus a "asset file" is:

<dl>
<dt>Asset</dt>
<dd>any photo or video in your PhotoStructure library. Assets in your library will have one or more "asset files."</dd>
<dt>Asset file</dt>
<dd>a file, typically a photo or video, that is one of possibly several different "variations" for a given "asset". </dd>
</dl>
-->

Version 2.0 includes our [most popular feature request](https://forum.photostructure.com/t/deleting-hiding-photos/55): support for deleting and hiding your photos and videos.

## 👀 What's it look like?

{{< figure src="/img/2021/09/asset-header.jpg" caption="New asset header in v2.1" >}}

- Tap <span class="like svg picon"></span> to [**like**](https://forum.photostructure.com/t/ability-to-quickly-favorite-a-photo-while-browsing/411) or "fave" the current asset.
- Tap <span class="archive svg picon"></span> to [**archive**](#archive) the current asset.
- Tap <span class="remove svg picon"></span> to [**remove**](#remove) the current asset from your library.
- Tap <span class="delete svg picon"></span> to [**delete**](#delete) the current asset from your library and your filesystem.

On smaller screens these buttons are available via the asset menu (click <span class="more svg picon">⋮</span> in the header):

{{< figure src="/img/2021/09/asset-menu.jpg" caption="New asset actions in v2.0" >}}

## 📋 What's the difference between archiving, removing, and deleting?

<div class="post table sans">

|                                               | Hidden from library | Removed from library | Removed from disk |
| --------------------------------------------: | :-----------------: | :------------------: | :---------------: |
| **Archive** <span class="archive svg"></span> |         ✅          |                      |                   |
|   **Remove** <span class="remove svg"></span> |                     |          ✅          |                   |
|   **Delete** <span class="delete svg"></span> |                     |          ✅          |        ✅         |

</div>

Assets that are "hidden" do not normally show up in search results, unless you add the `archived:true` search term.

Assets that are "removed" from your library will be expunged from your library database. There will be no record of them after you click "Remove assets" or "Empty trash".

<a id="archive"></a>

### 📦 Archived assets

> **Archive** the photos and videos that you want to **hide while browsing your library**, but still want to be able to **view them via search** and **retain the files on disk**.

Archived assets are:

- hidden from thumbnail views, like the home page and search results.

- retained in your library and on disk.

- visible via the "View archived" search (or any search that includes the term `archived:true`)

Archive an asset by clicking a thumbnail and either tapping <span class="archive svg picon" title="archive icon"></span> or <key>Shift</key> <key>A</key>.

<a id="remove"></a>

### ❌ Removed assets

> **Remove** the photos and videos that you **don't want in your library** and **don't want to delete from disk**.

Removed assets are:

- removed from thumbnail views, like the home page and search results.

- removed from your library and are **retained** on disk

- not actually removed from your library until you click the "Remove assets" button from the "View removed" search.

Remove an asset from your library by clicking a thumbnail and either tapping <span class="remove svg picon" title="remove icon"></span> or <key>Shift</key> <key>R</key>. On smaller screens the button is moved from the header into the ⋮ menu.

Removed assets and _all previously encountered variations of those assets_ will be prevented from being re-imported into your library in the future.

<a id="delete"></a>

### 🗑️ Deleted assets

> **Delete** the photos and videos that you want **deleted from your library**, and **deleted from disk**.

Deleted assets are:

- removed from thumbnail views, like the home page and search results.

- removed from your library and are **deleted** from disk

- not actually removed from your library or deleted from disk until you click the "Empty trash" button from the "View trash" search.

Remove an asset from your library by clicking a thumbnail and either tapping <span class="delete svg picon" title="trash icon"></span> or <key>Shift</key> <key>T</key>. On smaller screens the button is moved from the header into the ⋮ menu.

Like removed assets, deleted assets and _all previously encountered variations of those assets_ will be prevented from being re-imported into your library in the future.

## ⚠️ Important notes

### Only available files are deleted

{{% note %}}

When you click "Empty trash", PhotoStructure only deletes currently-mounted files.

Files on unmounted drives are not deleted later.

{{% /note %}}

PhotoStructure tries to follow the [principle of least astonishment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_least_astonishment).

By only deleting all file variations that are currently mounted and deletable, we avoid the unpleasant situation some months in the future where you mount a previously-imported volume and PhotoStructure starts deleting a bunch of asset variations in the background (that you may since have decided to keep, and restored from backup).

If you want to delete asset variations on new volumes that you previously deleted within PhotoStructure, ask on [discord](/go/discord).

### 🔒 Remove and Delete are disabled by default on shared libraries

{{% note %}}

Remove and delete are disabled by default if you [expose your library to your LAN](/faq/remote-access/)

{{% /note %}}

PhotoStructure defaults the `enableRemoveAssets` and `enableEmptyTrash` [settings](/settings) to `false` to prevent external library guests from causing mayhem.

These settings will be updated when [secure library sharing](https://forum.photostructure.com/t/secure-sharing-of-albums-and-assets/112) is implemented.

Archive, remove, and delete can all be enabled or disabled via new `enableArchive`, `enableRemove`, `enableRemoveAssets`, `enableDelete`, and `enableEmptyTrash` library settings.

This is a hassle. [Secure sharing](https://forum.photostructure.com/t/secure-sharing-of-albums-and-assets/112/4) will be built next to address this.

### 🪟 What about the "Trash Can" or "Recycle Bin"?

Windows, Linux, and macOS all support "soft deleting" files via a "trash can" or "recycle bin".

**By default, PhotoStructure will actually try to "soft delete" your photos and videos, rather than deleting them permanently.**

You can tell PhotoStructure to always "hard delete" by setting the `trySoftDeletes` [setting](/getting-started/advanced-settings/) to `false`.

This setting defaults to true on all editions of PhotoStructure **except for Docker**, as "soft deletes" don't make sense within a docker container.

### 🔄 How do I re-import previously-removed assets?

Previously removed files and folders can be re-imported by running

```sh
./photostructure sync --no-filter --force /path/to/file-or-folder
```