How to delete your Heptabase account

About deleting your Heptabase account

Heptabase is a visual note-taking and knowledge management tool designed to help users synthesize complex information through whiteboards, cards, and mind maps. By utilizing a spatial approach to learning, it allows users to organize research, project plans, and personal thoughts in a highly structured, interconnected environment. Because it handles sensitive intellectual property, research data, and personal project workflows, users often choose to delete their accounts when migrating to other tools or minimizing their digital footprint.

Deleting a Heptabase account is a significant action for power users who have spent months or years building deep knowledge graphs. Common reasons for deletion include:

• Transitioning to a non-cloud or local-first storage model that does not involve Heptabase's sync servers.
• Decluttering professional workspaces that contain proprietary information or research that is no longer relevant.
• Concerns regarding the long-term storage of aggregated personal thought processes in a third-party cloud environment.
• Simplifying productivity stacks by consolidating note-taking into a single platform.

What happens to your data

When you initiate the deletion process within the Heptabase account settings, the service aims to purge the workspace metadata associated with your user ID. However, users should be aware of the distinction between local cache and cloud-synced data.

• Workspace hierarchies and card connections: These are removed from the Heptabase sync servers.
• User profile information: Includes your email, subscription history, and billing records.
• Backup data: While account-level data is flagged for deletion, backups maintained for technical disaster recovery may persist for a short duration before being overwritten.
• Shared views: Any public links to your whiteboards or cards will immediately cease to function once the account is deleted.

Privacy considerations

Using a visual knowledge management tool like Heptabase involves entrusting the platform with your unique cognitive process and raw research notes. While the platform emphasizes private note-taking, users should remain mindful of how their data is handled.

• End-to-end encryption status: Always verify the current encryption protocols if you are storing highly sensitive research.
• Offline usage: Heptabase offers a local-first functionality; utilizing this mode minimizes the amount of data transmitted to their cloud servers.
• Third-party integrations: Be aware that if you have connected Heptabase to services like Obsidian or Notion via API, you may need to revoke those access tokens separately.
• Data portability: Before deleting your account, ensure you have exported your cards and whiteboards in formats like Markdown or JSON to avoid permanent loss of your intellectual output.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting my Heptabase account delete my local files?

No, deleting your account primarily affects data stored on Heptabase servers. Local files saved on your machine usually remain, but you should verify your export files before proceeding.

Can I recover my Heptabase workspace after deletion?

Account deletion is typically permanent. Once the database entry for your account is purged, there is no official restoration path offered by Heptabase support.

How do I ensure my sensitive research is not retained in backups?

While Heptabase clears production data upon account deletion, standard enterprise backup rotations may hold onto fragments for a limited time. For highly sensitive data, consider redacting content before deleting the account.

Does deleting the app remove my account data?

No. Simply uninstalling the Heptabase desktop application does not delete your account. You must navigate to account settings to trigger the server-side deletion process.

Will my subscription be canceled automatically upon account deletion?

Yes, triggering the account deletion process should terminate your billing cycle, but it is recommended to manually cancel any active subscriptions in the billing portal first to prevent accidental charges.

What happens to my shared whiteboard links?

Once the account is deleted, all public access links to your whiteboards become invalid, and viewers will no longer be able to access your visual knowledge maps.