> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.smartbills.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Delete Your Account

> Permanently close your Smartbills account and understand the data retention policy

## Overview

Deleting your Smartbills account is a permanent action that cannot be undone. This guide explains the process, what happens to your data, and the steps to take before and after deletion.

<Warning>
  **This action is irreversible.** Once your account is deleted, all personal data, expenses, receipts, and settings are permanently removed and cannot be recovered. Make sure to export any data you need before proceeding.
</Warning>

## Before You Delete

Before initiating account deletion, complete the following steps to avoid losing important information:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Export Your Data">
    Download all expense reports, receipts, and data you want to keep.

    1. Go to **Settings** > **Data Export**
    2. Select the data types to export (expenses, reports, receipts)
    3. Choose the export format (PDF, CSV, or Excel)
    4. Click **Export** and download the files

    <Tip>
      Export early. After deletion, there is no way to retrieve your data.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Resolve Pending Reports">
    Ensure all expense reports are in a final state:

    * **Pending submission**: Submit or discard draft reports
    * **Under review**: Wait for approval or recall the report
    * **Pending reimbursement**: Ensure reimbursements are processed before deletion
  </Step>

  <Step title="Leave All Businesses">
    You must leave or be removed from all businesses before deleting your account.

    1. Go to **Settings** > **Businesses**
    2. For each business, click **Leave Business**
    3. Confirm the action

    <Note>
      If you are the sole owner of a business, you must transfer ownership to another administrator before you can leave. Go to **Settings** > **Users** > select a user > **Transfer Ownership**.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Cancel Active Subscriptions">
    If you have an active paid subscription:

    1. Go to **Settings** > **Billing**
    2. Click **Cancel Subscription**
    3. Confirm cancellation

    Any remaining billing cycle will not be refunded. Contact [support@smartbills.io](mailto:support@smartbills.io) if you have billing questions.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Disable Integrations">
    Disconnect all active integrations:

    1. Go to **Settings** > **Integrations**
    2. Click **Disconnect** for each active integration (QuickBooks, Xero, Slack, etc.)
    3. Confirm each disconnection
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How to Delete Your Account

### Web Application

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Account Settings">
    Go to **Settings** > **Account** > **Delete Account**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the Warning">
    Read the summary of what will be permanently deleted. This includes your personal profile, expenses, receipts, settings, and notification history.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm Your Identity">
    Enter your current password to verify your identity. If you have 2FA enabled, you will also need to provide a verification code.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Provide Feedback (Optional)">
    Optionally select a reason for leaving and add comments to help us improve.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Type Confirmation">
    Type **DELETE** in the confirmation field to proceed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Delete">
    Click **Delete My Account Permanently**. You will be signed out immediately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Mobile App

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Account Settings">
    Go to **Menu** > **Account** > **Personal Information**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Scroll to Delete Account">
    Scroll to the bottom and tap **Delete Account**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Provide Feedback (Optional)">
    Optionally provide a reason for leaving to help us improve.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm Deletion">
    Enter your password and type your email address to confirm. Tap **Delete My Account**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What Happens to Your Data

| Data Type                             | What Happens                             |
| ------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Personal profile (name, email, photo) | Permanently deleted                      |
| Personal expenses and receipts        | Permanently deleted                      |
| Personal expense reports              | Permanently deleted                      |
| Business expenses you created         | Transferred to the business and retained |
| Business memberships                  | Removed                                  |
| Notification history                  | Permanently deleted                      |
| Payment methods                       | Permanently deleted                      |
| API keys                              | Revoked and deleted                      |
| Integration connections               | Disconnected                             |
| Audit trail entries                   | Retained for compliance (anonymized)     |

## Data Retention Policy

* **Deletion processing**: Account deletion may take up to **30 days** to fully process across all systems
* **Grace period**: During the first 30 days, you can contact [support@smartbills.io](mailto:support@smartbills.io) to cancel the deletion request
* **Compliance data**: Certain anonymized audit trail data may be retained for regulatory compliance purposes
* **Backups**: Data in automated backups will be purged within 90 days of deletion
* **Business data**: Expenses and reports you created within a business context are considered business records and are retained by the business even after your account is deleted

<Note>
  After the 30-day processing period, deletion is final. You can create a new account with the same email address, but none of your previous data will be available.
</Note>

## Alternatives to Deletion

Before deleting your account, consider these alternatives:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Downgrade Plan" icon="arrow-down" href="/guides/web-app/settings/general">
    Switch to the free plan instead of deleting
  </Card>

  <Card title="Log Out" icon="right-to-bracket" href="/help-center/account/login">
    Simply sign out if you need a break
  </Card>

  <Card title="Update Profile" icon="user-pen" href="/help-center/account/update-profile">
    Change your settings or notification preferences
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contact Support" icon="envelope">
    [Email us](mailto:support@smartbills.io) if you are experiencing issues we can help resolve
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Enterprise and Business Accounts

### Business Owners

If you are the owner of a business account:

1. Transfer business ownership to another administrator before deleting your personal account
2. Go to **Settings** > **Users** > select the new owner > **Transfer Ownership**
3. The new owner must accept the transfer before you can leave the business

### Enterprise Users

If your account is managed by your organization:

* Contact your company administrator to remove your account from the organization
* Your IT admin may need to process the deletion through the admin console
* SSO-linked accounts may require coordination with your identity provider

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Cannot delete account, still part of a business" icon="building">
    You must leave all businesses before deleting your account. Go to **Settings** > **Businesses** and click **Leave Business** for each one. If you are the sole owner of a business, transfer ownership first.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Cannot delete account, pending reports" icon="file-invoice">
    You may have reports in a pending state. Check your expense reports and either submit, recall, or discard them before attempting deletion.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Want to cancel a deletion request" icon="arrow-rotate-left">
    If your account deletion is still being processed (within 30 days), contact [support@smartbills.io](mailto:support@smartbills.io) immediately with:

    * Your email address
    * A request to cancel the deletion

    After the 30-day period, cancellation is no longer possible.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Deleted account but need old data" icon="clock-rotate-left">
    After the deletion is finalized, data cannot be recovered. If you exported data before deletion, check your downloads folder. For business-related expenses, contact your company administrator as those records are retained by the business.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Need Help?

If you need assistance with account deletion or have questions about data retention:

* **Email Support**: [support@smartbills.io](mailto:support@smartbills.io)
* **Live Chat**: Available in the app (bottom right corner)
* **Privacy Inquiries**: [privacy@smartbills.io](mailto:privacy@smartbills.io)
* **Help Center**: Browse more [help articles](/help-center/overview)