How can I delete files created in Microsoft app?

[rogerbid]

Hello there,

I have been removing most of the files from my Tab A (prior to resetting to Factory Settings in an attempt to fix a printing problem) and thought I had been successful. However I was surprised to see, when I opened the Microsoft Word App there is a long list of files displayed on the left of screen which I had thought I had deleted ages ago! Some go back to 2019. I can click on any of these files and they open as a Read-only files!

I am attaching a screenshot to show how the files are displayed.

I have 'Searched' for random documents from the list and they do not show up in the Search box. I cannot locate the file location shown as '>>data>>us...ucher.docx' - can someone please tell me where these files are and how I can delete them?

Incidentally, in the screenshot the 'Create In' box shows OneDrive as a selection - please note that I have searched my OneDrive files and the files have not been saved there by mistake!

I really want to delete the files totally and not simply remove them from the list of recent files.

I hope someone can help me with this puzzle, thanks,

Roger B

 

[SpookDroid]

Note the 'Create in' note... they're not in your tablet (until you download them), they're in your One Drive cloud storage. I also find that annoying in the versions of Office that you CAN edit/save (if you have a license or a smaller screen device), but any document you create is automatically saved to your One Drive. Only way to get rid of that is in One Drive directly.

If you tap the three dots next to each document you should see a pop-up with the file path there. Or you can also tap DETAILS from that menu and see the full details of the file, including where it's saved.

 

[rogerbid]

Hello and thanks for your reply.

Sadly your solution does not work for me! As I said, these files do not appear in my One Drive.

I do not get the options you refer to when I click on the 3 dots, although I do have the Delete option. It will be easy to delete them, and I will do so, but I would much prefer to see where it is saved and see it is actually deleted.

I attach another screenshot showing my drop down list.

Could Office have created a second One Drive instance without my realising???

Best wishes

Roger

 

[SpookDroid]

Have you tried looking for one of those file names on your device (via the My Files app)? I wonder if the documents got restored from a cloud back up (you can kinda see the file path there where it says data/use....). Also, can't test that because the Word app is no more; it's been replaced by a single Office app that houses all apps now. That's the one I'm using on both tablet and phone and can see the path on each file. Have you tried long-pressing the name? Or if you open the document seeing if there's a menu once inside that can give you further details on the document?

 

[rogerbid]

Hi again and thanks. I did mention I have searched My Files and no file is found!

I did not know the Word App has been replaced. Maybe I will just delete the files with the tab that shows up and hope they are actually deleted and ten delete the Word App and get the Single office app you mention.

Thanks again

 

[rogerbid]

Well that didn't work! Tells me I don't have permission to delete the files! Seems they are on the tablet for ever, but then if I reset to factory settings this will probably delete them!

Does resetting to factory settings remove all the apps I have downloaded? I am guessing it does,

Cheers

Roger

 

[SpookDroid]

Factory resetting does remove all data, including apps (except for SD card), so if the files are still there, they were moved back by either a restore or were saved in your One Drive and restored by the app. The fact that it states that you have no permission to delete only makes me wonder if the file is, in fact, on the tablet or not. Can you open any of those documents? Is there a menu button somewhere once you open the document? Or try the new Office app to see if it shows the same files?

 

[rogerbid]

Thanks again. I can no longer test various actions as I have in fact managed to remove the list of files. Attached is a post I found online and I deleted the data as suggested and the entire list of files has vanished!

To answer your questions though, I was able to open the files but could find no button that was any help. I will now delete the Word App and install the new one you mentioned previously,

Thank you again for your continuing interest in solving this riddle, which incidentally has been an ongoing problem for a lot of people it seems.

Best regards,

Roger

 

[SpookDroid]

Huh, weird! Even though this might be happening, a factory reset should delete all those files (again, unless you did a back up restore or direct file transfer of the app from another source, in which case, the cached files would have transferred over). But glad you got it sorted!