Delete file in PHP by using unlink function

Delete a file with unlink()

unlink() removes a file when PHP has permission to do so. Check that the target is a real file first and avoid building deletion paths directly from untrusted user input.

$file = __DIR__ . '/uploads/old-file.txt';
if (is_file($file)) {
    if (!unlink($file)) {
        echo 'The file could not be deleted.';
    }
}

The examples below show additional variations and practical file-handling cases.

$path="images/all11.css";
if(unlink($path)) {
echo "Deleted file ";
}

We can delete files by giving its URL or path in PHP by using unlink command. This command will work only if write permission is given to the folder or file. Without this the delete command will fail.

Here is the syntax.

unlink($path);

Example: Validating File Existence Before Deletion

We can check the path by using file_exists function to know if file is available for deletion.

$file = 'example.txt';
if (file_exists($file)) {
    if (unlink($file)) {
        echo "File deleted successfully.";
    } else {
        echo "Error deleting the file.";
    }
} else {
    echo "File does not exist.";
}

Here $path is the relative path of the file calculated from the script execution.
We have used if condition to check whether the file delete command is successful or not. But the command below will not work.

$path="https://domainname/file/red.jpg";
if(unlink($path)) echo "Deleted file ";

unlink() is for filesystem paths. Do not pass remote HTTP/HTTPS URLs to it.

Avoid the error-suppression operator (@). Check the target first and handle a failed deletion explicitly.

$path = __DIR__ . '/test.html';
if (is_file($path) && unlink($path)) {
    echo 'Deleted file';
} else {
    echo 'File was not deleted';
}

Here we are deleting one file only.

Example: Recursive File Deletion in Directories

We can also delete all the files of a directory or selected files by using PHP.

function deleteFilesInDir($dir) {
    foreach(glob($dir.'/*') as $file) {
        if (is_dir($file)) {
            deleteFilesInDir($file);
        } else {
            unlink($file);
        }
    }
}
deleteFilesInDir('test_dir');

Deleting database record linked to file.
The name of the file is stored in a table record. While deleting such file , first record is to be deleted ( if required ) and on success of deletion the respective file is to be deleted.

Deleting record with image from MySQL table

File Deleting all ( or by selection ) files of a directory Directory Functions
PHP

Subhendu Mohapatra

Author & Instructor at plus2net

I write and maintain practical tutorials on Python, PHP, SQL, JavaScript, HTML, jQuery, and web development at plus2net. The tutorials focus on clear explanations, working examples, and code that readers can test and adapt while learning.

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jamroz	16-09-2014
sir i make a page which delete a record but a file or image that are stored in the folder did not removed . How to remove from folder a picture using unlink()

hariv21	31-03-2010
nice

php	29-09-2012
amazing tutorils.... thanks

bell	16-07-2014
how to generate a Multiple deletion method

unlink(): To delete a File

Delete a file with unlink()

Example: Validating File Existence Before Deletion

Example: Recursive File Deletion in Directories

Subhendu Mohapatra