# I deleted files but my storage did not go down. Why?

Your space is already free. The moment the delete syncs, those bytes stop counting against your quota, on the server as much as on this device. If the bar still shows the old figure, press the refresh icon beside it: that recounts from the server and leaves out everything queued for deletion. A device that was offline keeps its own last count until it catches up.

The "few days" the app mentions is about the encrypted file itself, not about your quota, and that wait is deliberate. Deleting a file from storage is permanent, with no trash to fish it back out of. A device that has not finished syncing holds an incomplete picture of your notes, so it could delete an image that another note still shows. A file therefore waits at least 24 hours, and only a device that has completed a clean sync removes it. The patience costs you nothing, because the space was credited the day you deleted.

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Source: https://privacynotes.app/help/storage-after-delete