# Customer data deletion and recovery

Delete selected customer information from normal views while retaining a copy that can be recovered through Audit.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

**Settings › Account › Operators** · **Settings › General Settings › Admin**

## What it is

INSIDE can remove selected customer information from normal use by replacing it with deletion markers. It retains a recovery copy so you can reverse a mistaken deletion while the item remains available in **Recover**. Permanent deletion is a separate action.

## Who uses it and why

- Operators delete selected contacts, visitors, conversations, messages or attachments using their available **Audit** actions.
- Users with the **Settings** or **Manager** role grant the relevant actions and arrange the recovery period with Powerfront.
- Visitors' information can be affected when your organisation handles a deletion request.

## Where to find it

Open **Audit** and use **Search** to find records. Deletion controls include **Delete Contact and All Data**, **Delete Visitor and All Data**, **Delete All Conversations** and **Delete Selected**, depending on the selected record.

Use **Audit › Recover** to find retained deleted items. Users with the **Settings** or **Manager** role manage operator permissions under **Settings › Account › Operators**. Powerfront manages the recovery period in **Settings › General Settings › Admin**.

## How it works

For deletion, find the correct record and review the scope before confirming. Deleting a contact or visitor can include linked conversations and related data. Deleting a conversation stops it if it is active. Manual contact or visitor deletion can also block the affected visitors.

INSIDE keeps the original information for recovery and replaces the selected live information with deletion markers. Deleted messages show a deletion notice. Deleted attachments no longer expose their original file name or normal download link.

To recover an item:

1. Open **Audit › Recover**.
2. Set the date range to include when the deletion occurred.
3. Locate the item and use **View** if you need to inspect it.
4. Select **Recover** and confirm.

INSIDE restores the retained information and updates the related conversation or contact views. Recovery can unblock associated visitors. Recovered library files return as **Awaiting Approval**.

## Configure it

A user with the **Settings** or **Manager** role can review **Audit** and its individual deletion and **Recover Deleted Items** permissions under **Settings › Account › Operators**.

Ask Powerfront to change **Operator deleted data recovery time (days)**. Its default is 30 days, and the screen accepts values from 0 to 90. The recovery list omits items outside the configured window. Ask Powerfront to confirm the effective retention and permanent-deletion arrangements for your account.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator deleted data recovery time (days) | Settings › General Settings › Admin | website | 30 days | Powerfront, on request | Sets the recovery window shown by Audit; older deleted items are omitted from its recovery list. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Audit | Opens the workspace used to search customer records and recover deleted items. |
| Delete Contacts | Shows the contact and visitor deletion controls in Audit. |
| Delete Chats | Shows chat deletion controls in Audit. |
| Delete Tickets | Shows email-ticket deletion controls in Audit. |
| Delete Texts | Shows text-conversation deletion controls in Audit. |
| Delete Calls | Shows call deletion controls in Audit. |
| Recover Deleted Items | Shows the Recover tab and its recovery actions. |

## Limits and good to know

- Recoverable deletion retains original personal information for restoration. It is not completed permanent erasure.
- Deleting the last remaining non-system, unmasked message can also cause the conversation to be deleted.
- Contact deletion can affect several devices or channel identities linked to that contact. Review these links before confirming.
- Recovering information does not resume a stopped conversation or remove every possible independent block.
- The recovery period shown in the list does not by itself prove that an unavailable item has been physically erased.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [Audit search for retained customer records](REP-021.md): Audit provides the record search and recovery workspace.
- **Configured in** Admin settings and feature switches (managed by Powerfront): Powerfront manages the website's recovery-time setting.
- **Configured in** [Roles and permissions](ADM-008.md): Audit permissions control which deletion and recovery actions are shown.
- **Configured in** [Contact merge preview and assignment](CRM-004.md): Contact assignments determine which linked visitors are included in a contact deletion.
- **Works better with** [File library](ADM-017.md): Deleted library files can be recovered with an approval status.
- **Works better with** [Attachments in conversations](CHAT-018.md): Individual attachments can be masked and later recovered.
- **Works better with** [Customer contact details](CRM-001.md): Contact deletion includes the selected contact's personal information.
- **Works better with** [Customer contact identities across channels](CRM-005.md): Linked channel identities and conversations participate in contact deletion and recovery.
- **Works better with** [Call recording](RTC-013.md): Deleted recording messages retain recovery information until permanent deletion.
- **Works better with** [Permanent deletion of retained customer data](SEC-020.md): Permanent Delete removes the retained recovery copy and associated retained resources.
- **Related** [Spam review and blocking](CHAT-020.md): Manual contact or visitor deletion can block visitors, and recovery can remove the associated block.
- **Related** [Redacting and permanently deleting conversation data](CHAT-032.md): Selected-text redaction provides a narrower action than deleting a whole customer record or conversation.
- **Related** [Personal data retention and automatic deletion](SEC-021.md): Automatic retention includes permanent cleanup and does not offer the same recovery route as manual deletion.

### Used by

- **Required by** [Permanent deletion of retained customer data](SEC-020.md): Manual permanent deletion acts on a retained copy from an earlier recoverable deletion.
- **Required by** [Personal data retention and automatic deletion](SEC-021.md): Automatic retention uses the deletion process to remove selected personal information from normal use.
- **Configures** [Audit search for retained customer records](REP-021.md): The deletion recovery period determines which deleted items remain available in Audit Recover.
- **Enhances** [Call recording](RTC-013.md): Privacy handling can separately hide or remove voice recording references.
- **Related** [Cookie consent and opting out](VIS-018.md): Use the separate deletion process when retained personal information must be removed after an opt-out.
- **Related** [Redacting and permanently deleting conversation data](CHAT-032.md): Use the wider personal-data deletion process for requests covering an entire customer record.
- **Related** [Conversation lead capture and follow-up](COM-026.md): Customer data deletion can replace retained lead contact details with deletion markers.
- **Related** [Contact matching](CRM-003.md): Contacts deleted for privacy purposes are excluded from contact matching.
- **Related** [Contact merge preview and assignment](CRM-004.md): Deleted contacts cannot be assigned or merged through the contact controls.
- **Related** [Address book and contact actions](CRM-006.md): Contacts deleted for privacy purposes are excluded from local contact search.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why can I not see Recover?

Ask your **Settings** administrator to review **Recover Deleted Items** within your **Audit** permissions.

### Why is a deleted item missing from Recover?

Check the deletion date range. The item may also be outside the configured recovery window, already recovered or permanently deleted.

### Why did deleting a contact affect more than one conversation?

Contact deletion follows linked visitors and channel identities. Use a narrower conversation or message selection when that is the intended scope.

### Why did a visitor become blocked after deletion?

Manual contact or visitor deletion can block affected visitors as part of removing their active presence.

### Does Recover put a library file straight back into use?

It restores the file as **Awaiting Approval**, so it needs the normal approval process.