Trash and restore
Move mistakes aside safely with Move to Trash, and restore items when you still need them.
Overview
Move to Trash removes items from everyday views without making destruction your first step. From lifecycle and data tools, you can restore what you still need or permanently delete when you’re sure. Legal holds and retention rules may affect what can be removed.
Why this feature exists
People make honest mistakes under stress. Trash gives a calmer path than immediate permanent deletion.
Step-by-step
- 1
Move an item to Trash
From Evidence, Timeline, or other supported surfaces, choose Move to Trash for items that don’t belong.
- 2
Confirm the action
Read the confirmation so you know what will leave your active views.
- 3
Restore if needed
Open My Data or lifecycle/trash tools, find the item, and restore it to the case.
- 4
Delete permanently only when sure
Use permanent deletion carefully. Some situations may block removal if a legal hold applies.
Best practices
- Prefer Move to Trash over permanent delete while you’re still organizing.
- Restore before exporting if you trashed something you actually need in the package.
- Check legal holds before attempting hard deletion of matter-critical materials.
Productivity tips
- After a messy upload batch, trash weak duplicates once the clear version is in Evidence.
- Schedule a short monthly review of Trash so it doesn’t become a second archive.
Common mistakes
- Permanently deleting the only copy of a document you don’t have offline.
- Trashing an item to “hide” it from an export without checking package contents.
Frequently asked questions
Is Move to Trash the same as Delete permanently?
No. Move to Trash sets items aside and usually allows restore. Permanent deletion is final and should be used only when you’re certain.
Why can’t I delete something?
A legal hold or retention rule may protect the material. See Legal holds and Data retention, or review My Data for status.
Screenshots
Illustration placeholder — product screenshot coming soon.
Trash and restore screenshot placeholderHelpful links
Related articles
- Legal holds
Learn how legal holds help preserve materials that must not be discarded while a hold is active.
- Data retention
Understand how long materials may be kept, how lifecycle tools work, and where to manage your data.
- Exporting your case
Create a downloadable package of your case materials when you’re ready to share or keep an offline copy.
- Evidence library
Browse, open, and manage the materials in your case from one organized Evidence library.
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