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

# Search Retention

> Why completed searches should be deleted regularly and how to remove them safely.

Osintly stores search outputs so you can fetch state, normalized results, leak payloads, and webhook-linked data after execution completes.

For long-running integrations, we recommend deleting searches you no longer need.

## Why periodic deletion is recommended

* Reduce accumulated stored result volume over time
* Keep your own retained dataset focused on active investigations
* Minimize stale search data that is no longer useful to your workflow
* Make lifecycle ownership explicit in client applications

Deleting a search also removes its stored result payloads. There is no separate API to delete only the result blobs while keeping the search record.

## Delete completed searches

Use `POST /search/delete` to remove one or more searches that belong to the authenticated API key.

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST "https://api.osint.ly/search/delete" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OSINTLY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "ids": [
      "4a8cbb96-70df-4bd6-8f4a-9c0bf5ffde1f"
    ]
  }'
```

You can also delete multiple searches in one request:

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST "https://api.osint.ly/search/delete" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OSINTLY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "ids": [
      "4a8cbb96-70df-4bd6-8f4a-9c0bf5ffde1f",
      "95c36c17-f76e-4911-bd4e-8ea57515b2fb"
    ]
  }'
```

## Request rules

* Send between `1` and `100` search IDs per request
* Every search ID must belong to the authenticated API key
* Every search must already be in a terminal state
* Searches still `pending` or `processing` are rejected
* Deletion is all-or-nothing for the full request

If any ID is invalid, inaccessible, duplicated after normalization, or still active, the request is rejected and nothing is deleted.

## Response behavior

Successful deletion requests return `202 Accepted`.

This means the deletion has been accepted for asynchronous processing. Your application should treat the request as background work rather than an immediate hard delete confirmation.

## Recommended client pattern

1. Create and monitor the search normally
2. Fetch the final data your system needs
3. Persist only the fields you want to keep in your own system
4. Periodically call `POST /search/delete` for completed searches you no longer need in Osintly

<Tip>
  If you run searches continuously, schedule cleanup as a recurring job instead of relying on manual deletion.
</Tip>

## Related docs

* [Quick Start](/api-reference/quick-start)
* [Introduction](/api-reference/introduction)
* [Delete Searches endpoint](/api-reference/endpoint/delete)