How do I delete a file from a Facebook group page?

Deleting a file you have posted on a Facebook group page is easy to do when you know the steps. Here is a quick rundown of how to delete a file from a Facebook group:

Find the File You Want to Delete

The first step is to locate the file you want to remove from the Facebook group. Here are some tips for finding the file:

Go to the group page and look through your recent posts for the file.

Use the search bar at the top of the group page to search for keywords or the file name.
Filter the group posts by selecting “Photos” or “Files” to only see media uploads.
If you posted the file a long time ago, go to your profile, select “Posts” from the left menu and browse your history in the group.

Once you have located the file you want to delete, take note of the date or location so you can find it again easily.

Delete the File from Your Post

When you have found your post with the attached file, follow these steps:

Click on the post to open it.

Find the file attachment preview and click the “X” icon in the top right corner.
A confirmation box will pop up – click “Remove”.

The file will be removed from the post. This deletes it from the Facebook group page. However, keep in mind that:

If anyone has already downloaded the file or saved the post, they will still have access to it.
The file will still be on your computer or device unless you delete it manually.
If you shared the post outside of the group, the file will still be visible there.

Delete the Entire Post

If you want to delete the entire post with the file attachment, along with the file itself, do this instead:

Click the three dots in the top right corner of the post.
Select “Delete post” from the menu.

Confirm you want to delete the post when prompted.

This will remove the whole post containing the file from the Facebook group. As before, keep in mind:

Anyone who already saw the post or saved the file will still have access to it.

The file will still be available on your own computer or device.
If the post was shared outside the group, it will remain visible there.

How to Prevent Deleted Files Being Downloaded

When you post a file on Facebook, there is always a risk that someone may download or share it before you have a chance to delete it. Here are some tips to avoid deleted files spreading further:

Be cautious about posting any sensitive or private files publicly on Facebook groups.
Make sure your privacy settings limit who can see and access your posts and files.
Delete posts with files quickly if you change your mind about sharing them.

Ask group admins to remove the ability for members to download files.
Watermark files before posting publicly to identify the source.

While these precautions can help, there is no guarantee once something is online. The only way to have full control is to not post the file at all.

Remove Files from Your Facebook Account

Deleting a post only removes the file from the Facebook group. But it may still be stored in your Facebook account. To fully delete a file from Facebook:

Go to your Facebook profile and click on the down arrow at the top right.
Select “Settings & Privacy”.

Go to “Settings” and click on “Your Facebook Information”.
Select “Download your Information” and click on “View”.
Search for and select the “Photos and Videos” option.
Enter your password and click “Request Download”.

Once the download is ready, find and permanently delete the file from your computer.

This will remove the file fully from your account and Facebook’s servers. Use this option if you want to completely erase a file for privacy reasons.

Ask the Group Admin to Delete the File

If you are unable to delete a file you posted in a Facebook group, you can ask the admin to remove it for you:

Go to the group page and click on “Members” in the left sidebar.
Find the group admin(s) listed at the top under “Administrators”.

Send them a private message explaining you want a file removed.
Provide the post details like date, time and file name so they can easily find it.
Request they delete the full post or just the file attachment.

The admin can use their powers to moderate and manage content to delete posts and files in the group, even if you are unable to.

Remove Someone Else’s File from a Group

What if someone else posted a file you want deleted from the Facebook group?

As a regular member, you will not be able to directly delete someone else’s post and file. But you do have options, including:

Report the file post to Facebook for removal – click the three dots next to the post and select “Report post”.
Message the admin and ask them to remove the post and/or ban the user who posted it.
Hide the post from your own view of the group feed – click the three dots and choose “Hide post”.

Leave polite comments explaining your concerns about the file and asking for it to be removed.

Getting user-posted content deleted in Facebook groups relies heavily on reporting and admin intervention. But be persistent and the post should come down eventually.

Recover a Deleted File

If you change your mind after deleting a file from Facebook, is it possible to get it back?

Unfortunately once you permanently delete a file from Facebook it is gone for good and cannot be recovered directly through the platform. However, here are some ways you may be able to retrieve deleted files:

Check your computer’s trash or recycling bin if you recently removed it from there.
Use data recovery software to scan your hard drive and find deleted files.

Ask friends if they happened to save or download the file before it was deleted.
See if any sites archived or backed up the post before it was removed.
On mobile, your device may have a “recently deleted” folder with recoverable files.

If you manually deleted the file from your own computer or device, recovery is difficult but sometimes possible. Just don’t count on getting it back from Facebook itself.

Conclusion

Removing a file from a Facebook group requires just a couple clicks, but permanently deleting it takes a few extra steps. Be aware as well that once content is uploaded, it can be impossible to fully control or erase it. When in doubt, it is safest not to post private, sensitive or embarrassing files publicly on Facebook or social media in the first place.