---
id: privacy-safety.will-storage-studio-delete-files-without-asking
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/privacy-safety/will-storage-studio-delete-files-without-asking
category: "Privacy & safety"
subcategory: "Keeping your files safe"
question: "Will Storage Studio ever delete my files without asking?"
alt_questions:
  - "Does Storage Studio delete files automatically?"
  - "Can automatic rules delete my documents?"
  - "storage studio auto delete"
  - "Will a clean-up remove my personal files?"
  - "Does Smart Care delete things without permission?"
short_answer: "Not your personal files. Removals are never pre-ticked and go to the Recycle Vault or Trash. Only rebuildable caches are cleared automatically, and a “Never delete personal files — only move them” switch blocks every delete rule."
tags: ["delete", "rules", "safety"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-is-the-recycle-vault"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Will Storage Studio ever delete my files without asking?

Not your personal files. Anything that removes data is never ticked for you — you choose it — and what's removed goes to the **Recycle Vault** or Trash so it can be restored.

The one thing that runs on its own is cache clean-up, and only for rebuildable caches that apps recreate when they need them.

If you want a hard guarantee for automatic rules, turn on **Settings → Rules → Global overrides → “Never delete personal files — only move them.”** It skips every delete rule; app-cache clean-up still runs. See [Settings](https://storagestudio.us/manual/preferences).