Recover Deleted Contacts and Reverse Bulk Deletions

Modified on: Tue, 10 Jun, 2025 at 1:24 PM

Accidentally deleted a contact? No worries! HighLevel allows you to restore deleted contacts quickly and easily. This guide walks you through restoring individual contacts, multiple contacts or reversing a bulk delete operation. You’ll also find tips, troubleshooting advice, and answers to common questions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


What is Contact Restoration?


Contact restoration allows you to bring back deleted contacts in your HighLevel account. It’s especially useful if contacts are accidentally deleted or removed during bulk operations. This process includes restoring related data like tasks, workflows, and messages—unless deleted separately.


Key Benefits of Contact Restoration


HighLevel's restoration tools help you recover lost data, maintain customer relationships, and undo mistakes with ease. Here’s why it matters:


  • Recover accidentally deleted leads or clients.

  • Restore the entire contact history, including notes and appointments.

  • Reverse bulk deletions with one click.

  • Saves time vs. re-importing contacts.

  • Prevents workflow interruptions from missing data.

  • Contact data is automatically reinstated.

Important Information when Restoring Contacts


  • Restrictions in HIPAA Accounts: In HIPAA-compliant accounts, deleted contacts cannot be restored due to strict data security regulations.

  • Time Limit: A contact can be restored within 60 days only. Beyond this timeframe, the data is permanently deleted.

  • Restoration includes: When restored, contacts are reinstated with their associated data, such as:
    • Opportunities
    • Notes and tasks
    • Conversations
    • Appointments
    • Workflow and campaign participation

Restoring Single/Multiple Contacts


If you’ve deleted one or more contacts manually, HighLevel makes it easy to bring them back from the Restore tab. This method is ideal for recovering individual contacts or small batches without needing to reverse an entire bulk action.



Step 1: Access the Restore Tab in the Contacts Section


Navigate to the Contacts section in your HighLevel dashboard and select the Restore tab.




Step 2: Find and Select Contacts to Restore


Locate the contacts you wish to restore and select the contacts by clicking the checkbox next to their name. You can select individual contacts or all contacts in the list when restoring.




Step 3: Restore the Contact


Click the Restore button next to the contact’s name and confirm the action.



Reversing a Bulk Delete


If you've accidentally deleted multiple contacts using the bulk delete feature, you can easily reverse the action and restore the deleted contacts along with their associated data.


Step 1: Navigate to the Bulk Actions Page


Go to the Contacts section and click on Bulk Actions in the navigation menu. The Bulk Actions page shows a history of all bulk operations performed in your account, including bulk deletes.




Step 2: Find the Bulk Delete Operation


Scroll through the list of bulk actions to locate the specific bulk delete operation you wish to reverse.




Step 3: Click on the Restore Option to restore the Bulk deletion


Select Restore from the dropdown menu




Please Note: The restoration process will begin immediately, You can monitor its progress in the Bulk Actions page, where the status will change to indicate the restoration’s progress (e.g., "In Progress" or "Completed"). After the process is complete, navigate back to the Contacts section and Verify the Restored Contacts.

Frequently Asked Questions


Q: Can I restore contacts after 60 days?
No, contacts deleted more than 60 days ago are permanently erased.



Q: Can I restore contacts deleted by someone else?
Yes, as long as it's within the 60-day window and you have Admin access.



Q: What happens to associated data?
Restored contacts regain their associated data, such as conversations and opportunities, unless deleted separately.



Q: What exactly is restored?
All associated data (conversations, tasks, etc.), unless it was independently deleted.



Q: How long does the restoration process take for bulk actions?
The time taken depends on the number of contacts being restored. For large bulk actions, it may take several minutes to complete.



Q: Can I restore contacts in a HIPAA-compliant account?
No, HIPAA-compliant accounts do not permit restoring deleted contacts for data security reasons.



Q: Why Can’t I Restore a Contact?

Either of the following is possible:

  1. The contact may have been deleted more than two months ago and is no longer recoverable.

  2. HIPAA-compliant accounts do not allow contact restoration.

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