deleteItem
Move a file or folder to trash (can be restored from Google Drive trash)
This record as markdown: /tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deleteitem.md
What deleteItem does on Google Drive
AI agents call deleteItem to permanently remove resources in Google Drive, typically in cleanup and lifecycle workflows. It does its job in a single call, and there is no undo.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
itemId | string | Yes | ID of the item to delete |
account | string | — | Alias of the Google account to target. Optional — defaults to the session/global default account, or the sole authenticated account. Run manage_accounts list to |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why deleteItem is rated Critical
This tool performs deletion of files/folders, which is a destructive action. Although technically recoverable from trash, the tool removes data from active use irreversibly until restoration occurs. This fits the Destructive category (delete action) rather than Write (reversible modification).
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'deleteItem' and description states it moves files or folders to trash. While Google Drive trash allows recovery, the action irreversibly removes the item from normal access and workflow until manually restored.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs deleteItem safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Google Drive, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For deleteItem, this is the rule to start with:
deleteItem is removed from the agent's tool list entirely, so the agent never calls it. The rest of the server keeps working.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Google Drive, apply this rule, and every deleteItem call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about deleteItem
Move a file or folder to trash (can be restored from Google Drive trash). It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Google Drive MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.
deleteItem accepts 2 parameters: itemId, account. Required: itemId. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Google Drive MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for deleteItem: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Google Drive. Nothing to install.
deleteItem is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the deleteItem rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for deleteItem. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
deleteItem is provided by the Google Drive MCP server (@ark7/google-drive-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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