This page explains how deletion and archiving work in Deadline Guard, and how to restore a deadline if you change your mind.

How Deletion Works (Soft Delete)

When you delete a deadline, it is not immediately removed. Instead, it moves to the Archive. This gives you a chance to recover it if you deleted something by mistake.

Deadlines stay in the archive indefinitely until you permanently delete them from there.

How Confirmation Works

When you confirm a deadline (mark it as completed), it also moves to the archive. Confirmed items remain as a record of what was handled and when.

This is different from deletion:

  • Confirmed = you dealt with it ✓
  • Deleted = you removed it (didn’t handle, no longer relevant, or mistake)

Accessing the Archive

The archive is accessible from the app menu:

  1. Tap the menu icon (top-right corner of any main screen)
  2. Tap Archive

The archive shows all confirmed and deleted deadlines with their original details and the date they were archived.

Restoring a Deadline

If you deleted a deadline by mistake, or want to reinstate a confirmed deadline:

  1. Go to Menu → Archive
  2. Find the deadline
  3. Tap the Restore button

The deadline returns to the Upcoming or Overdue tab based on its due date.

Permanently Deleting a Deadline

To free up space or clean up old entries:

  1. Go to Menu → Archive
  2. Find the deadline you want to remove permanently
  3. Swipe or tap the delete option

Permanent deletion cannot be undone.

Practical Examples

Accidental deletion

You swipe to delete a deadline and realise immediately it was the wrong one. Go to Menu → Archive, find it, and tap Restore. It returns exactly as it was.

Keeping a confirmation record

Your lease renewal was handled on 3 March. You confirm the deadline. It moves to the archive with a timestamp. Three months later you can check the archive to confirm you acted on it and when.

Annual clean-up

At the end of the year you go through the archive and permanently delete all the old confirmed deadlines from the previous year that you no longer need.

Summary

Action Where it goes Reversible?
Delete Archive Yes — restore from archive
Confirm Archive Yes — restore from archive
Permanently delete Removed No

Next Steps