Deleting all files from a folder using PHP

Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025
In PHP, files from a folder can be deleted using various approaches and inbuilt methods such as unlink, DirectoryIterator and DirectoryRecursiveIterator. Some of these approaches are explained below: Approach 1:
  • Generate a list of files using glob() method
  • Iterate over the list of files.
  • Check whether the name of files is valid.
  • Delete the file using unlink() method.
Example: php 
<?php
// PHP program to delete all
// file from a folder
 
// Folder path to be flushed
$folder_path = "myGeeks";
 
// List of name of files inside
// specified folder
$files = glob($folder_path.'/*'); 
 
// Deleting all the files in the list
foreach($files as $file) {
 
    if(is_file($file)) 
  
        // Delete the given file
        unlink($file); 
}
?>
Output: Before Running the code: After Running the code: Note: Hidden files can be included in the file removal operation by addition of the below code: php 
$hidden_files = glob($folder_path.'/{, .}*', GLOB_BRACE);
Approach 2: Example: php 
<?php
// PHP program to delete all files from a folder

// Deleting all the files inside the given folder
array_map('unlink', array_filter(
            (array) array_merge(glob("myGeeks/*"))));

?>
Approach 3:
  • Generate list of files using DirectoryIterator.
  • Iterate over the list of files.
  • Validate the file while checking if the file directory has a dot or not.
  • Using the getPathName method reference, delete the file using unlink() method.
Example: php 
<?php
// PHP program to delete all files
// from a folder

// Folder path to be flushed
$folder_path = 'myGeeks/';

// Assigning files inside the directory
$dir = new DirectoryIterator(dirname($folder_path));

// Deleting all the files in the list
foreach ($dir as $fileinfo) {
    
    if (!$fileinfo->isDot()) {

        // Delete the given file
        unlink($fileinfo->getPathname());
    }
}
?>
Approach 4:
  • Generate list of all directory hierarchies inside the given folder directory using RecursiveDirectoryIterator 
    $dir = new RecursiveDirectoryIterator($dir, FilesystemIterator::SKIP_DOTS);
$dir = new RecursiveIteratorIterator($dir, RecursiveIteratorIterator::CHILD_FIRST);
  • FilesystemIterator::SKIP_DOTS is used to ignore dots while generating list of files.
  • RecursiveIteratorIterator::CHILD_FIRST is used for choosing files present at root directory.
  • Iterate over the file list and remove folders and files according to the specification.
Example: php 
<?php
// PHP program to delete all FilesystemIterator
// from a folder
 
// Folder path to be flushed
$dir = "myGeeks/";
 
// Assigning files inside the directory
$dir = new RecursiveDirectoryIterator(
    $dir, FilesystemIterator::SKIP_DOTS);
 
// Reducing file search to given root
// directory only
$dir = new RecursiveIteratorIterator(
    $dir,RecursiveIteratorIterator::CHILD_FIRST);
 
// Removing directories and files inside
// the specified folder
foreach ( $dir as $file ) { 
    $file->isDir() ?  rmdir($file) : unlink($file);
}
?>
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