# Retention & Purge

Automatically manage the lifecycle of conversations in your workspace — keeping inboxes clean and supporting your data retention requirements.

**Note:** This feature is available to **workspace admins only**. To access Retention & Purge, go to **Workspace Settings → Purge**.

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## How it works

Every conversation follows a predictable lifecycle:

**Active → Rule matches (or moved to Deleted folder) → Purge queue → Grace period (30 days) → Permanently deleted**

*Exception: Bot chats are deleted immediately after the retention period ends, with no grace period.*

At any point during the grace period, an admin can cancel or exempt a conversation from deletion via **Upcoming Purges**.

## Key concepts

| Term             | Definition                                                                                                                                                               |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Retention period | How long a conversation can remain unmodified before being queued for deletion. The clock starts from the last modified date, not the date the conversation was created. |
| Grace period     | Time between being queued and permanently deleted (workspace default: 30 days)                                                                                           |
| Purge queue      | List of conversations scheduled for deletion                                                                                                                             |
| Exemption        | Permanent protection from deletion — overrides all rules                                                                                                                 |

## What admins can control

* Define retention rules for Shared Inboxes and Bot Chats
* Review and cancel upcoming deletions before the grace period ends
* Exempt individual conversations from ever being deleted
* Enable auto-purge for conversations moved to the Deleted folder

## Getting started

1. Enable purging in **Workspace Settings → Purge**
2. Create a rule — set the scope and retention period
3. Review upcoming deletions regularly in **Upcoming Purges**

Start conservative — longer retention periods give you more time to catch mistakes.

{% hint style="danger" %}
Permanent deletion cannot be undone. Once a conversation is purged, it cannot be recovered. Always review **Upcoming Purges** before grace periods expire.
{% endhint %}

* [Overview](https://help.intheloop.io/retention-and-purge/overview)
* [Rules](https://help.intheloop.io/retention-and-purge/rules)
* [Upcoming Purges & Exemptions](https://help.intheloop.io/retention-and-purge/upcoming-purges-and-exemptions)