How to delete a whole folder and content?

I want the users of my application to be able to delete the DCIM folder (which is located on the SD card and contains subfolders).

Is this possible, if so how?

You can delete files and folders recursively like this:

void deleteRecursive(File fileOrDirectory) {
	if (fileOrDirectory.isDirectory())
		for (File child : fileOrDirectory.listFiles())
			deleteRecursive(child);

	fileOrDirectory.delete();
}

Let me tell you first thing you cannot delete the DCIM folder because it is a system folder. As you delete it manually on phone it will delete the contents of that folder, but not the DCIM folder. You can delete its contents by using the method below:

Updated as per comments

File dir = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory()+"Dir_name_here"); 
if (dir.isDirectory()) 
{
    String[] children = dir.list();
    for (int i = 0; i < children.length; i++)
    {
       new File(dir, children[i]).delete();
    }
}

We can use the command line arguments to delete a whole folder and its contents.

public static void deleteFiles(String path) {

    File file = new File(path);

	if (file.exists()) {
		String deleteCmd = "rm -r " + path;
		Runtime runtime = Runtime.getRuntime();
		try {
			runtime.exec(deleteCmd);
		} catch (IOException e) { }
	}
}

Example usage of the above code:

deleteFiles("/sdcard/uploads/");

In Kotlin you can use deleteRecursively() extension from kotlin.io package

val someDir = File("/path/to/dir")
someDir.deleteRecursively()

Short koltin version

fun File.deleteDirectory(): Boolean {
    return if (exists()) {
        listFiles()?.forEach {
            if (it.isDirectory) {
                it.deleteDirectory()
            } else {
                it.delete()
            }
        }
        delete()
    } else false
}

UPDATE

Kotlin stdlib function

file.deleteRecursively()

use below method to delete entire main directory which contains files and it's sub directory. After calling this method once again call delete() directory of your main directory.

// For to Delete the directory inside list of files and inner Directory
public static boolean deleteDir(File dir) {
    if (dir.isDirectory()) {
        String[] children = dir.list();
        for (int i=0; i<children.length; i++) {
            boolean success = deleteDir(new File(dir, children[i]));
            if (!success) {
                return false;
            }
        }
    }

    // The directory is now empty so delete it
    return dir.delete();
}

Your approach is decent for a folder that only contains files, but if you are looking for a scenario that also contains subfolders then recursion is needed

Also you should capture the return value of the return to make sure you are allowed to delete the file

and include

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

in your manifest

void DeleteRecursive(File dir)
{
    Log.d("DeleteRecursive", "DELETEPREVIOUS TOP" + dir.getPath());
    if (dir.isDirectory())
    {
        String[] children = dir.list();
        for (int i = 0; i < children.length; i++)
        {
            File temp = new File(dir, children[i]);
            if (temp.isDirectory())
            {
                Log.d("DeleteRecursive", "Recursive Call" + temp.getPath());
                DeleteRecursive(temp);
            }
            else
            {
                Log.d("DeleteRecursive", "Delete File" + temp.getPath());
                boolean b = temp.delete();
                if (b == false)
                {
                    Log.d("DeleteRecursive", "DELETE FAIL");
                }
            }
        }

    }
    dir.delete();
}

There is a lot of answers, but I decided to add my own, because it's little different. It's based on OOP ;)

I created class DirectoryCleaner, which help me each time when I need to clean some directory.

public class DirectoryCleaner {
    private final File mFile;

    public DirectoryCleaner(File file) {
        mFile = file;
    }

    public void clean() {
        if (null == mFile || !mFile.exists() || !mFile.isDirectory()) return;
        for (File file : mFile.listFiles()) {
            delete(file);
        }
    }

    private void delete(File file) {
        if (file.isDirectory()) {
            for (File child : file.listFiles()) {
                delete(child);
            }
        }
        file.delete();

    }
}

It can be used to solve this problem in next way:

File dir = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(), "your_directory_name");
new DirectoryCleaner(dir).clean();
dir.delete();

You can not delete the directory if it has subdirectories or files in Java. Try this two-line simple solution. This will delete the directory and contests inside the directory.

File dirName = new File("directory path");
FileUtils.deleteDirectory(dirName);

Add this line in gradle file and sync the project

compile 'org.apache.commons:commons-io:1.3.2'  

According to the documentation:

>If this abstract pathname does not denote a directory, then this method returns null.

So you should check if listFiles is null and only continue if it's not

boolean deleteDirectory(File path) {
    if(path.exists()) {
        File[] files = path.listFiles();
        if (files == null) {
            return false;
        }
        for (File file : files) {
            if (file.isDirectory()) {
                deleteDirectory(file);
            } else {
                boolean wasSuccessful = file.delete();
                if (wasSuccessful) {
                    Log.i("Deleted ", "successfully");
                }
            }
        }
    }
    return(path.delete());
}

If you dont need to delete things recursively you can try something like this:

File file = new File(context.getExternalFilesDir(null), "");
	if (file != null && file.isDirectory()) {
		File[] files = file.listFiles();
		if(files != null) {
			for(File f : files) {	
				f.delete();
			}
		}
	}

public static void deleteDirectory( File dir )
{

    if ( dir.isDirectory() )
	{
	    String [] children = dir.list();
	    for ( int i = 0 ; i < children.length ; i ++ )
		{
		 File child =    new File( dir , children[i] );
		 if(child.isDirectory()){
		     deleteDirectory( child );
		     child.delete();
		 }else{
		     child.delete();
		     
		 }
		}
	    dir.delete();
	}
}

see android.os.FileUtils, it's hide on API 21

public static boolean deleteContents(File dir) {
    File[] files = dir.listFiles();
    boolean success = true;
    if (files != null) {
        for (File file : files) {
            if (file.isDirectory()) {
                success &= deleteContents(file);
            }
            if (!file.delete()) {
                Log.w("Failed to delete " + file);
                success = false;
            }
        }
    }
    return success;
}

Source: https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/master/core/java/android/os/FileUtils.java#414

private static void deleteRecursive(File dir)
{
    //Log.d("DeleteRecursive", "DELETEPREVIOUS TOP" + dir.getPath());
    if (dir.isDirectory())
    {
        String[] children = dir.list();
        for (int i = 0; i < children.length; i++)
        {
            File temp = new File(dir, children[i]);
            deleteRecursive(temp);
        }

    }
    
    if (dir.delete() == false)
    {
        Log.d("DeleteRecursive", "DELETE FAIL");
    }
}

This is what I do... (terse and tested)

    ...
    deleteDir(new File(dir_to_be_deleted));
    ...

    // delete directory and contents
    void deleteDir(File file) { 
        if (file.isDirectory())
            for (String child : file.list())
                deleteDir(new File(file, child));
        file.delete();  // delete child file or empty directory
    }

The fastest and easiest way:

public static boolean deleteFolder(File removableFolder) {
        File[] files = removableFolder.listFiles();
        if (files != null && files.length > 0) {
            for (File file : files) {
                boolean success;
                if (file.isDirectory())
                    success = deleteFolder(file);
                else success = file.delete();
                if (!success) return false;
            }
        }
        return removableFolder.delete();
}

Simple way to delete all file from directory :

It is generic function for delete all images from directory by calling only

deleteAllImageFile(context);

public static void deleteAllFile(Context context) {
File directory = context.getExternalFilesDir(null);
        if (directory.isDirectory()) {
            for (String fileName: file.list()) {
                new File(file,fileName).delete();
            }
        }    
    } 

Safest code I know:

private boolean recursiveRemove(File file) {
    if(file == null  || !file.exists()) {
        return false;
    }

    if(file.isDirectory()) {
        File[] list = file.listFiles();

        if(list != null) {
            
            for(File item : list) {
                recursiveRemove(item);
            }
            
        }
    }

    if(file.exists()) {
        file.delete();
    }

    return !file.exists();
}

Checks the file exists, handles nulls, checks the directory was actually deleted

//To delete all the files of a specific folder & subfolder
public static void deleteFiles(File directory, Context c) {
    try {
        for (File file : directory.listFiles()) {
            if (file.isFile()) {
                final ContentResolver contentResolver = c.getContentResolver();
                String canonicalPath;
                try {
                    canonicalPath = file.getCanonicalPath();
                } catch (IOException e) {
                    canonicalPath = file.getAbsolutePath();
                }
                final Uri uri = MediaStore.Files.getContentUri("external");
                final int result = contentResolver.delete(uri,
                        MediaStore.Files.FileColumns.DATA + "=?", new String[]{canonicalPath});
                if (result == 0) {
                    final String absolutePath = file.getAbsolutePath();
                    if (!absolutePath.equals(canonicalPath)) {
                        contentResolver.delete(uri,
                                MediaStore.Files.FileColumns.DATA + "=?", new String[]{absolutePath});
                    }
                }
                if (file.exists()) {
                    file.delete();
                    if (file.exists()) {
                        try {
                            file.getCanonicalFile().delete();
                        } catch (IOException e) {
                            e.printStackTrace();
                        }
                        if (file.exists()) {
                            c.deleteFile(file.getName());
                        }
                    }
                }
            } else
                deleteFiles(file, c);
        }
    } catch (Exception e) {
    }
}

here is your solution it will also refresh the gallery as well.

Here is a non-recursive implementation, just for fun:

/**
 * Deletes the given folder and all its files / subfolders.
 * Is not implemented in a recursive way. The "Recursively" in the name stems from the filesystem command
 * @param root The folder to delete recursively
 */
public static void deleteRecursively(final File root) {
    LinkedList<File> deletionQueue = new LinkedList<>();
    deletionQueue.add(root);

    while(!deletionQueue.isEmpty()) {
        final File toDelete = deletionQueue.removeFirst();
        final File[] children = toDelete.listFiles();
        if(children == null || children.length == 0) {
            // This is either a file or an empty directory -> deletion possible
            toDelete.delete();
        } else {
            // Add the children before the folder because they have to be deleted first
            deletionQueue.addAll(Arrays.asList(children));
            // Add the folder again because we can't delete it yet.
            deletionQueue.addLast(toDelete);
        }
    }
}

This (Tries to delete all sub-files and sub-directories including the supplied directory):

1. If File, delete
2. If Empty Directory, delete
3. if Not Empty Directory, call delete again with sub-directory, repeat 1 to 3

example:

File externalDir = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory()
Utils.deleteAll(externalDir); //BE CAREFUL.. Will try and delete ALL external storage files and directories

To gain access to External Storage Directory, you need the following permissions:

(Use ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission and ActivityCompat.requestPermissions)

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

Recursive method:

public static boolean deleteAll(File file) {
    if (file == null || !file.exists()) return false;

    boolean success = true;
    if (file.isDirectory()) {
        File[] files = file.listFiles();
        if (files != null && files.length > 0) {
            for (File f : files) {
                if (f.isDirectory()) {
                    success &= deleteAll(f);
                }
                if (!f.delete()) {
                    Log.w("deleteAll", "Failed to delete " + f);
                    success = false;
                }
            }
        } else {
            if (!file.delete()) {
                Log.w("deleteAll", "Failed to delete " + file);
                success = false;
            }
        }
    } else {
        if (!file.delete()) {
            Log.w("deleteAll", "Failed to delete " + file);
            success = false;
        }
    }
    return success;
}

I've put this one though its' paces it deletes a folder with any directory structure.

public int removeDirectory(final File folder) {

	if(folder.isDirectory() == true) {
		File[] folderContents = folder.listFiles();
		int deletedFiles = 0;

		if(folderContents.length == 0) {
			if(folder.delete()) {
				deletedFiles++;
				return deletedFiles;
			}
		}
		else if(folderContents.length > 0) {

			do {

				File lastFolder = folder;
				File[] lastFolderContents = lastFolder.listFiles();

				//This while loop finds the deepest path that does not contain any other folders
				do {

					for(File file : lastFolderContents) {

						if(file.isDirectory()) {
							lastFolder = file;
							lastFolderContents = file.listFiles();
							break;
						}
						else {

							if(file.delete()) {
								deletedFiles++;
							}
							else {
								break;
							}

						}//End if(file.isDirectory())

					}//End for(File file : folderContents)

				} while(lastFolder.delete() == false);

				deletedFiles++;
				if(folder.exists() == false) {return deletedFiles;}

			} while(folder.exists());
		}
	}
	else {
		return -1;
	}

	return 0;

}

Hope this helps.

Yet another (modern) way to solve it.

public class FileUtils {
    public static void delete(File fileOrDirectory) {
        if(fileOrDirectory != null && fileOrDirectory.exists()) {
            if(fileOrDirectory.isDirectory() && fileOrDirectory.listFiles() != null) {      
                Arrays.stream(fileOrDirectory.listFiles())
                      .forEach(FileUtils::delete);
            }
            fileOrDirectory.delete();
        }
    }
}

On Android since API 26

public class FileUtils {

    public static void delete(File fileOrDirectory)  {
        if(fileOrDirectory != null) {
            delete(fileOrDirectory.toPath());
        }
    }

    public static void delete(Path path)  {
        try {
            if(Files.exists(path)) {
                Files.walk(path)
                        .sorted(Comparator.reverseOrder())
                        .map(Path::toFile)
//                      .peek(System.out::println)
                        .forEach(File::delete);
            }
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

I'm using this recursive function to do the job:

public static void deleteDirAndContents(@NonNull File mFile){
    if (mFile.isDirectory() && mFile.listFiles() != null && mFile.listFiles().length > 0x0) {
        for (File file : mFile.listFiles()) {
            deleteDirAndContents(file);
        }
    } else {
        mFile.delete();
    }
}

The function checks if it is a directory or a file.

If it is a directory checks if it has child files, if it has child files will call herself again passing the children and repeating.

If it is a file it delete it.

(Don't use this function to clear the app cache by passing the cache dir because it will delete the cache dir too so the app will crash... If you want to clear the cache you use this function that won't delete the dir you pass to it:

public static void deleteDirContents(@NonNull File mFile){
        if (mFile.isDirectory() && mFile.listFiles() != null && mFile.listFiles().length > 0x0) {
            for (File file : mFile.listFiles()) {
                deleteDirAndContents(file);
            }
        }
    }

or you can check if it is the cache dir using:

if (!mFile.getAbsolutePath().equals(context.getCacheDir().getAbsolutePath())) {
    mFile.delete();
}

Example code to clear app cache:

public static void clearAppCache(Context context){
        try {
            File cache = context.getCacheDir();
            FilesUtils.deleteDirContents(cache);
        } catch (Exception e){
            MyLogger.onException(TAG, e);
        }
    }

Bye, Have a nice day & coding :D