Your account and your data
Deleting things, and your account
Four levels of deletion, and only the first two are reversible.
The four levels
| Level | Reversible | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Delete a thing or list | Yes, from Trash | On the item |
| Empty trash | No | Settings Data Empty trash |
| Delete all data | No | Settings Account Delete all data |
| Delete your account | No | Settings Account Delete account |
Before the irreversible ones
Export first. It takes a minute and it is the only thing that makes a permanent deletion survivable if you change your mind. See export your things.
Consider archiving instead. If the goal is a clean slate rather than destruction, Settings Account Archive all lists gets you an empty-looking account with everything recoverable. That is almost always what people actually want.
Delete all data versus delete account
Delete all data keeps your account, your username and your subscription. You keep the account and lose the contents.
Delete your account removes the account itself. Your username is released and your subscription should be cancelled separately where you bought it, since deleting the account does not cancel an App Store or Play subscription.
Going further
Shared lists are a special case. Deleting your account affects collaborators on lists you own. Hand them over first if they matter to other people.
There is no recovery path. Support cannot restore a deleted account. That is deliberate, and it is why the export step matters.
Settings that change this
- Settings Data Empty trash permanently clears trash.
- Settings Account Archive all lists archives everything instead of deleting.
- Settings Account Delete all data removes your content, keeps the account.
- Settings Account Delete account removes the account.
Tips
- Archive all is the right answer nine times out of ten. Try it before deleting.
- Cancel your subscription where you bought it, before deleting the account.