As your asset library grows, it's worth regularly checking that you're only keeping the files you need. This helps your team find relevant content and prevents unnecessary storage use.
Here are six ways to keep your Dash tidy.
Review your existing assets
1. Find old, unused or large assets
Start by identifying assets that might no longer be needed.
Go to All assets
Use the sorting options to find:
Date added – old to new: Assets that have been in Dash the longest
Least downloaded: Assets that aren't being used much
File size – large to small: Files taking up the most storage
You could also combine this with various filters to further narrow down e.g. File size: Largest and Date added
Review the results and delete any assets you no longer need
💡 Tip: We recommend reviewing your assets monthly or quarterly, depending on how often your team uploads new content.
2. Remove duplicate assets
Dash checks for identical files during normal uploads, giving you the option to remove duplicates before completing the upload.
If you already have duplicates in your Dash, our team can also run a deduplication for you.
This process:
Identifies files that are 100% identical, regardless of their filename
Leaves edited, cropped or resized versions unaffected
Combines tags and folder assignments from duplicates onto the remaining asset
ℹ️ Note: Deduplication is irreversible and may affect existing collections, embed links or share links. Check the guidance below before requesting it.
How Dash identifies duplicate asset and how to request a deduplication
3. Empty your bin
Deleted assets still count towards your storage until they're permanently removed from your bin.
⚠️ Warning: Permanently deleted assets can't be recovered. Make sure you no longer need them before emptying your bin.
To permanently delete your files:
Open your profile menu
Select Bin
Click Delete all forever
Keep your assets up to date
5. Use expiry or review dates
If you have seasonal campaigns, product imagery or other content that shouldn't be used after a certain date, consider using the Expiry date field.
When an asset expires, admins are notified and users see a warning if they try to download it.
You can also filter assets by expiry date to find expired files and review them for deletion.
To get started:
Add an Expiry date field to your Dash if you don't already have one
Assign expiry dates to relevant assets
Regularly filter All assets by expiry date to find assets that have expired
💡 Tip: You can bulk-edit assets to assign expiry dates to multiple files at once.
Use a review date instead
If you don't want to mark assets as expired, you could create a custom Review date field instead.
For example, you could set a review date for product photography every 12 months to check whether it's still relevant.
This lets you find assets due for review without marking them as expired.
6. Automate regular checks using our API
If you have developer experience on your team, you could potentially use our API to automate some of the housekeeping suggested above.
For example, rather than manually checking All assets each month, you could set up a process to regularly:
Identify older or larger files
Flag assets that have reached their expiry or review date
Generate a list of assets for your team to review
Or, simply delete straight away any assets that meet certain criteria e.g. have expired or are older than a certain date
The exact possibilities depend on the functionality available through our API and your setup.
Tips for keeping your Dash organised: Recap
A few simple habits can help prevent unnecessary files building up over time:
Review assets regularly: Set aside time each month or quarter to check for outdated content
Avoid unnecessary duplicates: Check for duplicates when uploading new files
Add expiry or review dates: Make it easier to identify assets that may need updating or removing later
Need more help with deduplication or keeping your assets organised? Get in touch with our team using the in-app chat or emailing help@dash.app.