Avoid losing important Google Drive files

On October 15, 2025, Google Drive files owned by former UC Santa Cruz students and employees will be permanently deleted to free up storage space. These files cannot be recovered.

Some of these files may have been shared with you by a former student or colleague and could be important. Please set aside time to find and save any files you wish to keep before the October 15 deadline. Finding, reviewing, and preserving files may take time, so we recommend getting started early.

How to find and save files

Individual files in Google Drive that are impacted are labeled “To Be Deleted.” Follow these steps to identify and preserve files owned by former UC Santa Cruz users before the October 15 deletion date.

Use Google Shared Drives instead

Moving forward, we recommend storing important files in Google Shared Drives. These are the best choice for teams, departments, and research groups because:

• Files stay accessible even when someone leaves UCSC
• Ownership stays with the team, not the individual
• It’s easier to manage and share files securely

Consider moving your team’s shared content into a Shared Drive or another long-term storage option.

Get help

If you have questions or need assistance, please reach out to ITS by opening a support ticket at https://slughub.ucsc.edu/its or calling 831-459-4357.