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

# How to Bulk Delete Customers by ID List

Use this method when you have a specific list of customer identifiers and want to remove those customers from the Maestra database in one operation. It's the right approach when you already know exactly which customers to delete — for example, after exporting a list from another system, after a data review, or in response to a deletion request under GDPR, CCPA, or similar privacy laws.

If you don't have a list of IDs and need to delete customers that match certain criteria instead, use a segment- or filter-based deletion approach.

<Warning>
  Complete customer deletion is irreversible. Once the task finishes, the customer profile and the associated personal data are removed from the database and cannot be restored.
</Warning>

## How it works

You upload a file that lists the Maestra IDs of the customers you want to delete. Maestra reads the file, queues a bulk deletion task, and processes it asynchronously. You can monitor the task's progress from a status link while it runs.

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the customers section">
    Go to **Data** → **Customers**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start a file-based deletion">
    In the right-hand menu, select **Delete by file**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the deletion type">
    Select **Complete customer deletion from database**. This option fully removes the customer record, not just their subscriptions or contact details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Download the template">
    Download the template file provided in the dialog. The template defines the exact format Maestra expects — don't change the column structure or rename the header.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in the customer IDs">
    Populate the `MaestraId` column with the identifiers of the customers you want to delete. One ID per row. Save the file in the same format as the template.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload the file">
    Upload your completed file back into the same dialog.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the task">
    Click **Add task** to queue the deletion. Maestra starts processing the file asynchronously.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Track progress">
    Use the status link shown after the task is created to monitor progress. The link shows when the task finishes and reports any rows that couldn't be processed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## File format

* The template uses a single column with the header `MaestraId`.
* Each row contains one customer identifier.
* Keep the header row exactly as it appears in the template.

## When to use this method

* You have an exported list of specific customer IDs to remove.
* You're fulfilling individual deletion requests under applicable privacy law (GDPR, CCPA, and similar).
* You need to clean up a known set of test or duplicate profiles.

For criteria-based deletions — for example, "delete every customer who hasn't opened an email in two years" — build a segment or filter first, then delete from there instead.