storage.remove not removing item

[jaredcosulich]

Per the documentation found here:

https://supabase.com/docs/reference/javascript/storage-from-remove

I'm currently calling:

const { data, error } = await supabase
.storage
.from('avatars')
.remove(['folder/avatar1.png'])

with the correct bucket and file path for my app. This seems to be successful, returning:

{ "data": [], "error": null }

but when I visit the supabase website the file is still there. I imagine this is due to the lack of a policy. Is there documentation on policies somewhere that provides more examples than the few templates available?

[ltanady]

You are probably missing the policy for DELETE. Here's an example SQL expression for DELETE policy that works:

((bucket_id = 'test-bucket'::text) AND (storage.extension(name) = 'png'::text) AND (lower((storage.foldername(name))[1]) = 'test-folder'::text))

You can go to Storage > Policies to create policies for your bucket,

For this case you need to use DELETE for allowed operations and provide the above SQL expression:

Depending on who you want to allow to access, here are more examples:
https://supabase.com/docs/guides/storage#allow-individual-access-to-a-file

[iamthe-observer]

guys im also facing the same issue so if someone could send code of how they wrote the policies id be grateful

[bennik88]

Hey @iamthe-observer I don't know if you already solved this I just stumbled across this discussion and thought I help all upcoming users and you. Below is an example to enable delete (or from the docs remove()) files from storage:

1. Log into Supabase Dashboard.
2. Go to Storage
3. Go to Policies
4. Click New policy
5. In this case click on For full customization but this is up to you, Supabase will give you some examples when clicking on Get started quickly
6. Name your policy e.g. "Enable delete for authenticated users for their own profile image.
7. Select allowed operation DELETE
8. And in policy definition use the example snipped below. See the notes below for more information

The below code works with the example folder path and filename ${userId}/${userId}_profileImage.JPEG

-- Make sure the policy applies to the avatars bucket only
bucket_id = 'avatars' AND
--  Make sure they can only access their own folder within that bucket
(storage.foldername(name))[1] = auth.uid()::text AND
-- Check the file name of the file and only allow delete if it matches the name below
storage.filename(name) = auth.uid() || '_profileImage.JPEG'

Have fun deleting files ;)

[iamthe-observer]

Hey @iamthe-observer I don't know if you already solved this I just stumbled across this discussion and thought I help all upcoming users and you. Below is an example to enable delete (or from the docs remove()) files from storage:

1. Log into Supabase Dashboard.

2. Go to Storage

3. Go to Policies

4. Click New policy

5. In this case click on For full customization but this is up to you, Supabase will give you some examples when clicking on Get started quickly

6. Name your policy e.g. "Enable delete for authenticated users for their own profile image.

7. Select allowed operation DELETE

8. And in policy definition use the example snipped below. See the notes below for more information

The below code works with the example folder path and filename ${userId}/${userId}_profileImage.JPEG

-- Make sure the policy applies to the avatars bucket only

bucket_id = 'avatars' AND

--  Make sure they can only access their own folder within that bucket

(storage.foldername(name))[1] = auth.uid()::text AND

-- Check the file name of the file and only allow delete if it matches the name below

storage.filename(name) = auth.uid() || '_profileImage.JPEG'

Have fun deleting files ;)

You're a savior from the future thanks. But I solved the issue a while back. Thanks for feedback tho. Im learning a lot from the method you used for the policies.

[bennik88]

You're welcome.

[adamzerner]

Nice, thanks @bennik88 . To others, note that you might have different requirements (see the code comments).

[fimalcicd]

while deleting this error showing 'List' is not a subtype of type 'String' in flutter

[sturatcliffe]

Hi, I'm getting this exact issue when trying to delete files from a node.js environment, but I have the correct policies in place - has anyone else had this issue for reasons other than missing RLS policies?

[GaryAustin1]

Does it work with RLS true with no user role selected (you have to meet delete and select policy)?
You don't provide any info on your policies or environment.
You might also try Supabase's Discord for more interactive help.

[sturatcliffe]

So my original policy was setup to allow the anon role full CRUD access on an "uploads" bucket, and that was failing, so I tried opening the policy up so it didn't specify a role at all, and it still does not work. Here are a few screenshots of my policies:

All 4 policies have the same condition applied.

Environment wise the code to delete a file is firing from a server-side action in a Remix application, using version 2.7.1 of the @supabase/supabase-js library.

[GaryAustin1]

Any errors that you can tell? Possibly check Postgres logs around that time.
Your RLS looks OK if that is the same for all and your bucket is lower case uploads...
Calling the correct instance?

Edit: Guess the pathname being correct is also something to check. I've seen the wrong path/url being used several times as the issue.

[sturatcliffe]

Yes, correct instance is being called.

I'm wondering if it is something path related, but not whether I'm sending the correct path or not. Removals are working for files which are only 1 folder deep, e.g. folder/file.jpg.

However, the ones which are failing are several folders deep - could this have an impact?

[GaryAustin1]

Not sure how with the RLS you show. Certainly if you involve "folders" in the RLS.
Folders are not real constructs. They are just parts of the path name separated by / . The dashboard UI makes it look like there are folders, but to the API it is just a string.
You might look in the storage.objects table for a file not being deleted and see if you see anything strange.
I still encourage you to participate in Discord as every post we make here goes to all the former participants from over a year ago.

[RilDev]

Hi there,

I was having a similar issue with this code:

const { data, error } = await supabase.storage
  .from("my-bucket")
  .remove([
    "/filepath/filename.ext",
  ]);

It was returning me {data: [], error: null}.

The problem was the initial / in the filepath. So I removed it like so: "/filepath/filename.ext" -> "filepath/filename.ext" and it worked as expected!

[ozasadnyy]

Thank you, @RilDev, it worked 🙌

[evanfeliza]

Hi current experience this issue its returning [] upon checking on logs the delete was accepted

see screenshot below:

Also do i really need to create a folder inside the bucket or not?

my implementation was directly saving files on a bucket

[GaryAustin1]

Folders are not real things. They are just processed using the path names between /. So no you don't create folders.

What delete operation are you doing? You have to use the Storage API and not SQL delete of the row in storage, and you need to meet RLS for select and delete.