How To Delete Contacts and Their Data

Important Information When Deleting Contacts

Only users with administrator permissions can delete contacts. This restriction helps prevent accidental data loss and maintains security. Contacts deleted within the CRM can be restored for up to 60 days. Associated data, such as conversations, notes, and tasks, may also be removed depending on your system settings.

Best Practices

Follow these recommendations to ensure safe and effective contact management:

• Verify Before Deleting: Always confirm you have selected the correct contacts to avoid unintentional removal.
• Back Up Data: Export important contacts to a CSV file for your records before deletion.
• Schedule Regular Cleanups: Periodically review your contact list to maintain data accuracy.
• Manage Permissions: Limit deletion rights to administrators or trusted team members only.

Manual Deletion of Contacts

Step 1: Access the Contacts Page

Go to the Contacts section in your CRM dashboard.

Step 2: Select Contacts

You can choose contacts in two ways: select all contacts on the page (or all contacts in the CRM) by clicking the checkbox in the contacts list header, or select individual contacts by checking the boxes next to their names.

Step 3: Delete Contacts

Click the Delete button at the top of the contact list. If you are using a Smart List view and the Delete icon is not visible, ensure you have selected at least one contact. If it still does not appear, you may lack the necessary admin permissions—contact your account administrator for assistance.

Step 4: Confirm Deletion

Type DELETE in the confirmation text box to proceed. Note that once a contact is deleted, all associated data—including conversations, notes, tasks, and activity history—is permanently lost and cannot be recovered even if the contact is restored. Always back up critical information beforehand.

Restoring Deleted Contacts

If you accidentally delete a contact, you can restore it within 60 days. However, restoring a contact does not recover its associated data. To restore:

1. Navigate to Contacts > Restore.
2. Select the contact(s) you wish to restore.
3. Click Restore to return the contact to your active list.
4. Confirm your selection to complete the process.

Automating Contact Deletion Using Workflows

You can automate contact deletion with workflows, which is useful for removing unsubscribed, inactive, or invalid contacts. To set this up:

1. Go to Automations > Workflows and create a new workflow.
2. Add the Delete Contact action to the workflow.
3. Configure triggers, such as applying a specific tag (e.g., “Unsubscribed”).
4. Test and activate the workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Can’t I Delete a Contact?

You may not have administrator permissions, or the contact might be part of an active campaign or workflow. Remove the contact from these activities before attempting deletion.

What Happens to Associated Data?

Associated data is typically deleted along with the contact. Check the Bulk Actions page for deletion status details.

Can I Recover Deleted Contacts?

Yes, within 60 days. After that, the data is permanently removed.