delete-data-or-log-files-from-a-database.md

title	Delete Data or Log Files from a Database
description	Learn how to delete data or log files in SQL Server by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL.
author	WilliamDAssafMSFT
ms.author	wiassaf
ms.date	03/14/2017
ms.service	sql
ms.subservice	supportability
ms.topic	how-to
helpviewer_keywords	logs [SQL Server], files deleting files removing files removing data data deletions [SQL Server] file deletion [SQL Server] deleting data

Delete Data or Log Files from a Database

[!INCLUDE SQL Server] This topic describes how to delete data or log files in [!INCLUDEssnoversion] by using [!INCLUDEssManStudioFull] or [!INCLUDEtsql].

In This Topic

• Before you begin:

  Prerequisites

  Security

• To delete data or logs files from a database, using:

  SQL Server Management Studio

  Transact-SQL

Before You Begin

Prerequisites

• A file must be empty before it can be deleted. For more information, see Shrink a File.

Security

Permissions

Requires ALTER permission on the database.

Using SQL Server Management Studio

To delete data or log files from a database

1. In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of the [!INCLUDEssDEnoversion] and then expand that instance.

2. Expand Databases, right-click the database from which to delete the file, and then click Properties.

3. Select the Files page.

4. In the Database files grid, select the file to delete and then click Remove.

5. Click OK.

Using Transact-SQL

To delete data or log files from a database

1. Connect to the [!INCLUDEssDE].

2. From the Standard bar, click New Query.

3. Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click Execute. This example removes the file test1dat4.

:::code language="sql" source="codesnippet/tsql/delete-data-or-log-files_1.sql":::

For more examples, see ALTER DATABASE File and Filegroup Options (Transact-SQL).

See Also

Shrink a Database
Add Data or Log Files to a Database