--- title: "Configure Data Retention Settings and Data Deletion Options" slug: "configure-data-retention-settings-and-data-deletion-options" description: "Manage how long to store Customer data for and delete Customer data collected, including Contacts, Conversations to abide by privacy and data regulations." updated: 2026-04-03T20:17:29Z published: 2026-04-03T20:17:29Z --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.gladly.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Configure Data Retention Settings and Data Deletion Options | **REQUIRED USER ROLE** Compliance Administrator | **PERMISSION OVERVIEW** [View permissions by role](https://help.gladly.com/docs/managing-users-and-roles#roles-and-responsibilities) | | --- | --- | Comply with data regulations by managing and deleting Customer data, including Contacts, Conversations, and Customer Profiles based on storage duration. ## Before you start Review the following before you delete Customer data or change Data Retention settings: - See [Data Subject Requests](https://help.gladly.com/docs/data-subject-requests) to learn how data deletion is handled and processed in Gladly. - See the [developer tutorial](https://help.gladly.com/developer-tutorials/docs/delete-customer-profiles/) on automating the deletion of Customer Profiles. If you need to delete more than 50 Customer Profiles and are unable to set up the deletion method via API, send an email to [privacyrequests@gladly.com](mailto:privacyrequests@gladly.com). Otherwise, you may [delete Profiles one at a time](https://help.gladly.com/docs/configure-data-retention-settings-and-data-deletion-options/#delete-data-on-a-customer-profile-level). ## Platform level setting for Data Retention Configure Gladly — on a platform level — to either retain all Customer Profile data indefinitely or to automatically delete **all** Customer Profile data (i.e., Conversations, attachments, recordings, etc.) that exists in Gladly after a number of days has passed. > [!CAUTION] > Deleted data can't be recovered > > Deleted Customer Profiles and all the data about a Customer cannot be recovered. 1. Click ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/hamburger-menu-icon(2).svg) on the top left corner of the screen. 2. Click **Settings**. 3. Under the **Security and Compliance**category, click **Customer Data Retention**. 4. Choose from the Customer Data Retention page if you'd like to keep Customer data indefinitely or if it is to be deleted automatically. ![Settings for automatic deletion of customer data after 365 days of inactivity.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/custom20settings20compliance20admin.png) - **Use Default Settings –** All Customer Profile data is retained, and no automatic deletion occurs. - **Use Custom Settings –** Set the number of days Customer Profile data is automatically deleted, counting from their last Contact date. A minimum of 365 days is required. 5. Click **Save.** - If you choose to use a custom setting, you'll be prompted to confirm that you understand the ramifications of this option. Click **I Understand, use custom settings** to complete your update. > [!WARNING] > Custom settings and deletion jobs > > - **Deletion jobs –** Remember that the countdown to delete Customer Profile data begins on the day of their last Contact. So if you have 365 days configured, any Customer who doesn't have additional Contacts for 365 days after the date of the last Contact is automatically deleted. This means data deletion jobs may be ongoing as this is a rolling period. > - **Last activity vs. last Contact –**Apps (e.g., Stella, Klaviyo, etc.) that post activity/events in a Profile are excluded from the definition of "last Contact." For example, if the last Contact with a Customer was on *July 11, 2021*, and they responded to Stella's CSAT survey on *August 8, 2021*, we'll continue to use July 11, 2021, as the last Contact date. ## Delete data on a Customer Profile level Delete Customer Profiles independent from your platform-level data retention settings. See [Customer Profile level](https://help.gladly.com/docs/data-subject-requests#customer-profile-level-deletion) deletion to learn what is deleted. > [!CAUTION] > Deleted Profiles can't be recovered > > Keep this in mind before you delete a Customer's record. 1. Open the Profile of the Customer you want to delete from Gladly. 2. Next to the Customer's avatar, click![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/kebab-icon-vertical(1).svg), then click **Delete Customer**. ![Customer profile options for Martha Williams, including delete and export features.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/delete20customer20profile.png) - **Note –** Customer Profiles with an open Conversation can't be deleted. This prevents possible errors (e.g., wrong Liveboard status), such as putting phone calls in a bad/unknown state if the Profile is deleted while there’s an active phone call. ![Warning message instructing to close the recent conversation before deleting a customer.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/delete20profile20open20conversation20tooltip.png) 3. You'll be asked to confirm your deletion request. Click **Delete Customer Profile** to confirm. ## Delete data on a Contact level Delete individual messages/Contacts without deleting other records contained in the Profile. For example, you can delete credit card numbers sent as a message that contains PII. You can only delete one item at a time. See [Contact level deletion](https://help.gladly.com/docs/data-subject-requests) to learn what is deleted. 1. Open the Customer's Profile where you need to delete an item. 2. From the item (e.g., a Contact), click![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/kebab-icon-vertical.svg), then click **Delete Message**. 3. You'll be asked to confirm your deletion request. Click **Delete Message** to confirm. Deleted messages appear as "This item has been deleted" in the Conversation Timeline. > [!WARNING] > Deleting email threads > > Deleting an email thread deletes all the messages contained in the thread, including images and attachments contained in the thread. ### Delete call recordings or Conversation attachments - See [delete call recordings](https://help.gladly.com/docs/pause-delete-or-download-voice-call-recordings) to learn how to delete a specific voice recording. - See [delete attachments](/docs/how-do-i-delete-attachmentsimages-in-the-conversation-timeline) to learn how to delete file attachments from the Conversation Timeline. ## Export Customer data from the Customer Profile Customers may have the right to access information and data about them. When requested, Compliance Admins can export a JSON file containing all your information about a Customer. Information like their: - Name - Contact information - Address - Custom attributes > [!NOTE] > **JSON format** > > [JSON](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON#Syntax) stands for JavaScript Object Notation. It's a plain text format that allows for storing and transporting data while allowing the portability of data. Programs like TextEdit (Mac) and Notepad (PC) can open a JSON file. Open the Profile of the Customer you want to export data for from Gladly. 1. Open the Profile of the Customer you want to export data from Gladly. 2. Next to the Customer's avatar, click![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/kebab-icon-vertical(1).svg), then click **Export Customer Profile.** 3. A JSON file is downloaded to your local folder. 4. The JSON file can be shared with Customers and opened with programs like TextEdit (Mac) and Notepad (PC). The JSON structure can be found in our [developer guide](https://developer.gladly.com/rest/#operation/findCustomers). ## Retrieve Customer data by API GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy requests to retrieve a copy of Customer data collected can be performed by you — Gladly's Customer — through API. When a Customer of yours requests access to their Gladly data for GDPR, CCPA, or any other privacy reason, you can use the Gladly API to retrieve a JSON file containing their entire user history. 1. [Generate](https://help.gladly.com/docs/generate-api-tokens-and-create-webhooks#create-api-tokens) an API token. 2. Using your preferred API client, create a request to [Find Customers](https://developer.gladly.com/rest/#operation/findCustomers). The API response is a portable JSON file that can be shared with the Customer who requested access to their Gladly data. Here's a curl example of the request: ```json curl -u user@organization.com:$GLADLY_API_TOKEN \\ ```