MyLeoNes™

Deleting a digital item — Computing, 4–6

Deleting tells a device that you no longer want a picture, message or file in its usual place. Some devices keep it in a rubbish bin for a while.

Put it away or remove it

A digital item can be a photo, drawing, message or file. When you delete it, the device removes it from the place where you normally find it. Often it moves to a rubbish bin first, so you may be able to bring it back before the bin is emptied.

Why delete things

Devices collect many items, and a crowded place makes it harder to find what matters. People delete blurry photos, old messages or drawings they no longer need. Deleting helps keep things clear, but it must be a choice because a deleted item may be difficult or impossible to recover.

Deleting one old photo

Open the photo collection and find the blurry picture. Check that it is really the picture you do not need. Select it, choose the rubbish-bin button, and read the confirmation before agreeing. Then look in the bin: the photo is there, not in the usual collection.

Delete is not always undo

You may delete something by mistake and expect it to return just because it disappeared. That is reasonable: the screen no longer shows it. But deleting is a new action, while undo reverses an earlier action. Look for the rubbish bin or ask a trusted adult before deleting important work.

Making room and keeping order

You might delete a long video after watching it, a duplicate photo, or a message you no longer need. This can make room on a device and make important things easier to find. Before deleting, check that nobody else needs the item and that you have kept any copy you want.

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