---
title: Deleted items | Lightfield
description: Restore deleted records, emails, messages, files and lists from Deleted Items, or permanently delete them.
---

Deleted CRM records, emails, messages, files and lists move to **Deleted Items**, including records deleted through the API. From there you can restore them or delete them permanently. Deleted skills and chats are removed permanently and do not appear here.

## Who can use it

Deleted Items is on every plan.

- **Restore:** owners, admins and members, for items they’re allowed to change. Viewers can look but not restore.
- **Permanently delete** and **Delete all:** owners and admins only.

## Open Deleted Items

1. Select your profile menu at the top of the sidebar.
2. Choose **Deleted Items**.
3. Pick a type on the left: **Accounts**, **Opportunities**, **Contacts**, **Emails**, **Messages**, **Tasks**, **Meetings**, **Notes**, **Files** or **Lists**. **Dashboards** appears when your plan includes dashboards, and each custom object gets its own row.

Each list shows the item’s name, **Deleted At** and **Deleted By**. **Messages** holds deleted messages synced from messaging apps such as Slack.

## Delete a record

Before deleting an account, check the confirmation dialog: **Also delete associated contacts**, **Also delete associated tasks** and **Also delete associated notes** are checked by default. Its opportunities and files are also deleted. Uncheck any optional items you want to keep.

Delete a record from its menu on the record page or its row in a table. Lightfield asks you to confirm and tells you what else goes with it.

Or ask the agent in chat, for example “Delete the duplicate Acme contact.” The agent can delete accounts, contacts, opportunities, meetings, notes, tasks and custom object records. It shows a confirmation card first, and nothing is deleted until you confirm there.

Some records take related items with them:

- **Account:** its opportunities and files go with it, along with any contacts, tasks and notes you selected in the confirmation dialog.
- **Opportunity:** its files go with it.
- **Contact:** the contact is unenrolled from any sequences it’s in.

Lightfield doesn’t create a deleted account or contact again from new email. See [How records are created](/help/settings/mail-and-calendar/how-records-are-created/index.md).

## Restore an item

1. Open **Deleted Items** and pick the type.
2. Open the item’s menu and choose **Restore**, for example **Restore contact**.
3. Confirm.

The item returns to your CRM.

Restoring an account brings back its opportunities and their files. If contacts, tasks or notes you deleted with the account are still in Deleted Items afterwards, restore them from the **Contacts**, **Tasks** and **Notes** tabs.

## Permanently delete an item

Permanently deleting can’t be undone. Restore anything you might need first.

- **One item:** open its menu, choose **Permanently delete**, and confirm.
- **Everything of one type:** select **Delete all** at the top right of the list (for example **Delete all contacts**), type **permanently delete** to confirm, and select **Delete all**.

Permanently deleting an account also permanently deletes its opportunities and their files, and stops Lightfield from creating that account again from its website domains.

## Troubleshooting

### Restore isn’t available

You’re a Viewer, or you don’t have permission to delete that record. Restoring needs the same permission as deleting. Ask an owner, admin or member to restore it.

### Permanently delete and Delete all are missing

Only owners and admins see them. Ask an admin, or leave the item in Deleted Items, where it no longer appears in your CRM.

### I can’t add an email address to a contact because it’s in Deleted Items

The address belongs to a deleted contact. Restore that contact and [merge](/help/accounts/merge-duplicates/index.md) it if it’s a duplicate, or ask an admin to permanently delete it, then add the address again.

## Common questions

**Can I undo a permanent delete?** No. Permanently deleted items can’t be recovered.

**Do deleted records still show in my tables?** No. Deleted records leave your tables until you restore them.

**Can the agent restore something I deleted?** No. Restore it yourself from Deleted Items. The agent can delete records for you after you confirm.

**Does deleting a skill or chat put it in Deleted Items?** No. Deleted skills and chats are removed permanently.