To effectively manage your hosting quota and free up space, it is important to understand how Shotstack calculates your usage.
Your account storage is split into two distinct categories:
Renders (Output Files): These are the final video or image files generated by the Shotstack API or Studio. By default, these outputs are automatically hosted on the Shotstack CDN.
Uploads (Source Files): These are the raw media assets (videos, audio, images) that you upload directly to your dashboard or via the Ingest API to use as sources in your video editing timeline.
Both file types count against your total storage limit.
Below is the step-by-step guide on how to delete individual files or perform a complete bulk cleanup.
1. Deleting Individual Renders (Output Files)
Navigate to the My Renders tab in your dashboard.
Click on a specific render to open its details view.
On the right-hand side of the screen, click on the Outputs tab.
Locate the CDN link and click the trash can icon next to it.
A confirmation modal titled "Delete CDN asset?" will appear, warning you that this action frees storage but cannot be undone. Click Delete to confirm.
2. Deleting Individual Uploads (Source Files)
Navigate to the My Uploads tab in your dashboard.
Find the file you wish to remove and click the trash can icon on the right side of the row.
A "Delete file?" confirmation modal will appear. Click Delete to permanently remove the source file and free up space.
3. Bulk Deleting Hosted Files
If you are approaching your storage limit and need to perform a massive cleanup, you can now bulk-delete your hosted assets directly from the main dashboard.
⚠️ WARNING: Bulk deletion is irreversible. Once triggered, all selected files are permanently removed from the CDN and cannot be recovered.
Here is how to perform a bulk cleanup:
Step 1: Access Storage Settings
From your main Dashboard, look for the Storage widget in the top right corner.
Head over to the widget and click the Free up storage hypertext to open the Manage Storage modal.
Step 2: Initiate Bulk Deletion
In the Manage Storage modal, look for the Delete all hosted files section at the bottom.
Click the red Delete all files... button.
Step 3: Choose What to Delete
You will be prompted to select exactly which types of files you want to clear out. From the dropdown menu, select one of the following options:
All hosted files (uploads and renders): Completely wipes your storage clean.
Uploads only: Deletes source files you have uploaded, but preserves your final rendered videos.
Hosted renders only: Deletes your final generated outputs, but keeps your uploaded source assets intact. (You will also see a helpful note indicating how much space was freed during your last cleanup!)
Click Continue.
Step 4: Confirm the Deletion
Because this action is destructive, you must manually confirm it.
The system will prompt you to type a specific confirmation phrase (e.g.,
delete my uploads).Type the exact phrase into the text box.
Click the red Delete Files button.
Step 5: Background Processing
Your cleanup request will be submitted immediately.
You will see a confirmation message stating: "Cleanup started — files are being deleted in the background."
You can click Done and continue working in your dashboard while the system safely removes your files.
Your storage metric will automatically update once the background process is complete.