Delete PDFs
Remove PDFs from your library permanently or unlink them from specific resources.
Unlink vs delete​
Understand the difference before removing PDFs:
Unlink - Remove PDF from specific resources, keep the file in your library
Delete - Remove the PDF file completely from your library
Delete a single PDF​
Permanently remove a PDF from your library:
- From your PDF library, click the PDF you want to delete
- Click Delete PDF
- Confirm you want to delete it
- The PDF is removed completely
This also removes all links to this PDF automatically.
Delete multiple PDFs​
Remove several PDFs at once:
- Select PDFs using the checkboxes
- Click Bulk Actions at the top
- Choose Delete PDFs
- Confirm the deletion
- All selected PDFs are removed
Use this to clean up old or unused PDFs quickly.
What happens when you delete​
When you delete a PDF:
- The file is removed from storage permanently
- All links to resources are removed automatically
- The PDF disappears from customer-facing pages immediately
- Your plan limit increases (you can upload more PDFs)
- The action can't be undone
Before you delete​
Make sure you don't need it - Deletion is permanent
Check linked resources - See where the PDF appears before removing it
Download a copy - Save the PDF to your computer if you might need it later
Consider deactivating instead - Use Inactive status to hide without deleting
Unlink from specific resources​
To keep the PDF but remove it from certain pages:
- Click the PDF in your library
- View the Linked Resources section
- Find the resource you want to unlink
- Click Unlink next to that resource
- The PDF stays in your library but not on that page
This is useful when you want the PDF on some pages but not others.
Bulk unlinking​
Remove a PDF from multiple resources at once:
- Click the PDF in your library
- Click Bulk Unlink
- Select the resources to unlink from
- Click Unlink from Selected
The PDF remains in your library for other uses.
Safety features​
PDF Connect protects you from accidental deletion:
Confirmation required - You must confirm before any deletion
Linked PDFs show warning - You see how many links will be removed
Bulk actions preview - See what will happen before confirming
Recover deleted PDFs​
PDFs can't be recovered after deletion
If you delete a PDF by mistake:
- Re-upload the PDF file from your computer
- Set up links again manually
- Reactivate if needed
Keep original PDF files on your computer as backup.
When to delete vs deactivate​
Delete when:
- You'll never use this PDF again
- You need to free up space in your plan
- The PDF contains outdated or incorrect information
- You're replacing it with a new version
Deactivate when:
- You might use this PDF again later
- It's seasonal content (hide for now, show later)
- You want to test removing it first
- You want to keep your links intact