Data Retention Periods
Understand how long deleted data is kept before permanent deletion.
Overview
When you delete content in Zuro (articles, knowledge bases, comments, etc.), it's soft-deleted first. This means it's marked as deleted but kept in the system for a retention period, allowing you to recover it if needed. After the retention period expires, the data is permanently deleted.
Retention Periods by Tier
Your subscription tier determines how long deleted data is retained:
Free Plan
- Retention Period: 90 days (fixed)
- Customization: Not available
- Deleted data is kept for 90 days before permanent deletion.
Starter Plan
- Retention Period: 90-180 days
- Default: 180 days
- Customization: Yes, you can choose between 90 and 180 days
- Navigate to Settings → Privacy → Data Retention Period to adjust your retention period.
Professional Plan
- Retention Period: 90-365 days
- Default: 365 days (1 year)
- Customization: Yes, you can choose between 90 days and 1 year
- Navigate to Settings → Privacy → Data Retention Period to adjust your retention period.
Enterprise Plan
- Retention Period: 90-3650 days
- Default: 365 days (1 year)
- Maximum: 3650 days (10 years)
- Customization: Yes, you can choose any period between 90 days and 10 years
- Navigate to Settings → Privacy → Data Retention Period to adjust your retention period.
What Data is Retained
The following data types are subject to retention periods:
- Deleted Articles - Soft-deleted articles are kept for your retention period
- Deleted Knowledge Bases - Soft-deleted knowledge bases and their content
- Deleted Comments - Comments that have been soft-deleted
- Deleted API Keys - Revoked API keys
- Deleted Webhooks - Deleted webhook configurations
- Deleted MCP Keys - Revoked MCP authentication keys
- Deleted User Accounts - Soft-deleted user accounts
How Retention Works
Soft Delete vs Permanent Delete
- Soft Delete - When you delete content, it's marked as deleted but kept in the database
- Retention Period - The content remains recoverable during this period
- Permanent Delete - After the retention period, the data is permanently removed
Automatic Cleanup
Zuro runs automatic cleanup jobs weekly (on Sundays) that:
- Check all soft-deleted records
- Compare deletion date against your retention period
- Permanently delete records that exceed the retention period
Recovery During Retention Period
While data is in the retention period, you can:
- Restore Articles - Recover deleted articles from the trash
- Restore Knowledge Bases - Recover deleted knowledge bases
- View Deleted Content - Access deleted items for reference
Important: Once the retention period expires, data cannot be recovered.
Changing Your Retention Period
For Starter, Professional, and Enterprise Plans
- Navigate to Settings → Privacy
- Scroll to the Data Retention Period section
- Use the slider or input field to select your desired retention period (within your tier's limits)
- Click Save Changes
The new retention period will apply to:
- All future deletions
- Existing soft-deleted items (counted from their deletion date)
Retention Period Limits
Your tier determines the maximum retention period you can set:
| Tier | Minimum | Maximum | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 90 days | 90 days | 90 days |
| Starter | 90 days | 180 days | 180 days |
| Professional | 90 days | 365 days | 365 days |
| Enterprise | 90 days | 3650 days (10 years) | 365 days |
Best Practices
Choosing a Retention Period
- Compliance Requirements - Some industries require specific retention periods
- Recovery Needs - Consider how long you might need to recover deleted content
- Storage Costs - Longer retention uses more storage (though minimal)
- Data Privacy - Shorter retention reduces data exposure
Before Permanent Deletion
Before data is permanently deleted:
- Review your deleted items regularly
- Restore anything you might need
- Export important data if needed
- Update retention period if requirements change
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover data after the retention period?
No. Once the retention period expires, data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
Does retention period affect active content?
No. The retention period only applies to soft-deleted content. Active content is not affected.
What happens if I downgrade my plan?
If you downgrade to a tier with a lower maximum retention period:
- Your current retention period will be adjusted to the new tier's maximum
- You'll be notified of the change
- Existing soft-deleted items will use the new retention period
Can I set different retention periods for different content types?
No. The retention period applies uniformly to all soft-deleted content in your account.
How do I know when data will be permanently deleted?
The cleanup job runs weekly. Data that has been soft-deleted for longer than your retention period will be permanently deleted during the next cleanup run.