> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cockroachlabs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# cockroach userfile delete

The `cockroach userfile delete` [command](/docs/stable/cockroach-commands.md) deletes the files stored in the [user-scoped file storage](/docs/stable/use-userfile-storage.md) which match the [provided pattern](/docs/stable/cockroach-userfile-upload.md#file-destination), using a SQL connection. If the pattern `'*'` is passed, all files in the specified (or default, if unspecified) user-scoped file storage will be deleted. Deletions are not atomic, and all deletions prior to the first failure will occur.

## Required privileges

The user must have the `CREATE` [privilege](/docs/stable/security-reference/authorization.md#managing-privileges) on the target database. CockroachDB will proactively grant the user `GRANT`, `SELECT`, `INSERT`, `DROP`, `DELETE` on the metadata and file tables.

A user can only delete files from their own user-scoped storage, which is accessed through the [userfile URI](/docs/stable/cockroach-userfile-upload.md#file-destination) used during the upload. CockroachDB will revoke all access from every other user in the cluster except users in the `admin` role. Users in the `admin` role can delete from any user's storage.

## Synopsis

Delete a file:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
$ cockroach userfile delete <file | dir> [flags]
```

View help:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
$ cockroach userfile delete --help
```

## Flags

| Flag | Description |
| - | - |
|  `--cert-principal-map` | A comma-separated list of `<cert-principal:<db-principal` mappings. This allows mapping the principal in a cert to a DB principal such as `node` or `root` or any SQL user. This is intended for use in situations where the certificate management system places restrictions on the `Subject.CommonName` or `SubjectAlternateName` fields in the certificate (e.g., disallowing a `CommonName` like `node` or `root`). If multiple mappings are provided for the same `<cert-principal`, the last one specified in the list takes precedence. A principal not specified in the map is passed through as-is via the identity function. A cert is allowed to authenticate a DB principal if the DB principal name is contained in the mapped `CommonName` or DNS-type `SubjectAlternateName` fields. |
| `--certs-dir` | The path to the [certificate directory](/docs/stable/cockroach-cert.md) containing the CA and client certificates and client key. **Env Variable:** `COCKROACH_CERTS_DIR` **Default:** `${HOME}/.cockroach-certs/` |
| `--echo-sql` | Reveal the SQL statements sent implicitly by the command-line utility. |
|  `--url` | A [connection URL](/docs/stable/connection-parameters.md#connect-using-a-url) to use instead of the other arguments. **Env Variable:** `COCKROACH_URL` **Default:** no URL |
| `--user` `-u` | The [SQL user](/docs/stable/create-user.md) that will own the client session. **Env Variable:** `COCKROACH_USER` **Default:** `root` |

## Examples

### Delete all files in the default storage

To delete all files in the directory, pass the `'*'` pattern:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
$ cockroach userfile delete '*' --certs-dir=certs
```

```
deleted userfile://defaultdb.public.userfiles_root/test-data-2.csv
deleted userfile://defaultdb.public.userfiles_root/test-data.csv
deleted userfile://defaultdb.public.userfiles_root/test-upload/test-data.csv
```

Note that because a fully qualified userfile URI was not specified, files in the default user-scoped storage (`userfile://defaultdb.public.userfiles_$user/`) were deleted.

### Delete a specific file

To delete a specific file, include the file destination in the command:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
$ cockroach userfile delete test-data.csv --certs-dir=certs
```

```
deleted userfile://defaultdb.public.userfiles_root/test-data.csv
```

### Delete files that match the provided pattern

To delete all files that match a pattern, use `*`:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
$ cockroach userfile delete '*.csv' --certs-dir=certs
```

```
deleted userfile://defaultdb.public.userfiles_root/test-data-2.csv
deleted userfile://defaultdb.public.userfiles_root/test-data.csv
```

### Delete files from a non-default userfile URI

If you [uploaded a file to a non-default userfile URI](/docs/stable/cockroach-userfile-upload.md#upload-a-file-to-a-non-default-userfile-uri) (e.g., `userfile://testdb.public.uploads`):

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
cockroach userfile upload /Users/maxroach/Desktop/test-data.csv userfile://testdb.public.uploads/test-data.csv
```

Use the same URI to delete it:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
cockroach userfile delete userfile://testdb.public.uploads
```

## See also

* [`cockroach userfile upload`](/docs/stable/cockroach-userfile-upload)
* [`cockroach userfile list`](/docs/stable/cockroach-userfile-list)
* [`cockroach userfile get`](/docs/stable/cockroach-userfile-get)
* [Use `userfile` storage](/docs/stable/use-userfile-storage)
* [`cockroach` Commands Overview](/docs/stable/cockroach-commands)
* [`IMPORT INTO`](/docs/stable/import-into)