Trash cleanup interval
How often the worker scans for expired trash. Default 15 minutes. Separate from how long files stay recoverable.
Trash cleanup interval
How often the background worker (pg-boss) scans for expired trash and permanently deletes it.
Where to find it
Admin → Settings → Files → Trash & retention → Trash cleanup interval + unit
Keys: trash_cleanup_interval_amount, trash_cleanup_interval_unit
Defaults often 15 minutes. Caps: 59 minutes, 23 hours, or 31 days. Saving reschedules the job without a full app restart.
How it works
This is how often we look, not how long files stay — that is Trash retention (trash_keep_amount / trash_keep_unit).
Requires DATABASE_URL. Disable the worker with env TRASH_CLEANUP_DISABLED=1 (or true) when you need to freeze permanent deletes.
Common problems
Expired files still sitting in trash
Worker disabled via env, database down, or interval very long. Check Health / logs and TRASH_CLEANUP_DISABLED.
Confused with retention
Shorten retention to make files expire sooner; shorten this interval only to pick them up faster after they expire.