# Retention, export and erasure

How long PaalChat keeps a business's data, and how to export it or erase a person.

> **In a nutshell:** Message content, notes and media are kept 365 days by default - set a business's own retention_days on Create or update business. Export a business's data with POST .../exports. Erase a person with DELETE .../contacts/{id}. A business that leaves PaalChat is erased by PaalTech on request.

## Retention

PaalChat keeps message content, conversation notes and media files for **365 days** by
default, then empties them; the message rows (status, times, pricing) stay. A business can
keep them for less - or longer - with `retention.message_content_days` (7 to 3,650) on
[Create or update business](/docs/api/upsert-business). Webhook payloads and callbacks are
kept only days, whatever the policy (see the [FAQ](/docs/faq)).

## Export

[Export business data](/docs/api/create-export) builds a ZIP of JSON Lines files -
`contacts.jsonl` (with consent and preferences), `conversations.jsonl` (with notes),
`messages.jsonl` (with content), `media.jsonl` and `business.json`. Poll
[Get export](/docs/api/get-export) until it is `ready`, then download `url` within 15
minutes. The file is deleted after 24 hours. Needs the `data.manage` ability.

## Erasing a person

[Erase contact](/docs/api/erase-contact) removes everything that identifies them - name,
number, email, your `external_id`, custom fields, tags, preferences, the content of their
messages, their media and the notes on their conversations. Records that must remain
(message statuses, conversations, the consent history) point at a pseudonym such as
`contact_8f2a91c0`. It cannot be undone. A number on the suppression list stays there, so
they are not messaged again.

## Erasing a business

When a business leaves and asks for its data to be deleted, PaalTech erases it: contacts,
conversations, messages, media, inbox members and its WhatsApp connection (the WhatsApp
account becomes free to connect elsewhere). PaalTech's audit records keep only a pseudonym.
Export first - erasure cannot be undone.