Written & Verified By
Delete.Directory Content TeamOur team of privacy advocates and former social media employees verify every deletion process through hands-on testing.
This guide helps you permanently delete your GitLab account. We believe in digital autonomy: your right to leave any platform should be as easy as joining it. Follow these verified steps to ensure complete account deletion.
How We Verified This Guide
Methodology: Hands-on testing with live accounts
Quick Information
Time Required
5 minutes
Difficulty
easy
Steps
5 steps
Official Resources
Official deletion guide from GitLab
Additional Resources
Details about how GitLab handles your data and privacy
Information about managing your GitLab account and preferences
Step-by-Step Guide
Back Up Your Repositories and Data
Before deleting your account, export or clone all repositories you want to keep. Go to each project, navigate to Settings > General > Advanced, and use the export project feature or clone repositories locally.
Tips
- •Use git clone to create local copies of all your repositories
- •Export project archives that include issues, merge requests, and wikis
- •Download any CI/CD artifacts or pipeline logs you need to keep
Log in to Your GitLab Account
Open your web browser and go to gitlab.com (or your self-hosted GitLab instance URL). Log in with your account credentials.
Tips
- •Make sure you're logged into the correct account
- •If you have multiple accounts, verify which one you want to delete
- •For self-hosted instances, use your organization's specific GitLab URL
Access User Settings
Click on your profile picture or avatar in the top-right corner of the GitLab interface, then select 'Preferences' or 'Edit profile' from the dropdown menu.
Tips
- •The menu may show 'Settings' or 'Preferences' depending on your GitLab version
- •Look for account-related options in the user menu
Navigate to Account Deletion
In the left sidebar, scroll down and click on 'Account'. Scroll to the bottom of the Account page where you'll find the 'Delete account' section.
Warnings
- •This action will permanently delete your account and all associated data
- •All repositories, issues, merge requests, and pipelines will be permanently deleted
Confirm Account Deletion
Type your username to confirm deletion, then click the 'Delete account' button. GitLab will show you warnings about what will be deleted. Read carefully and confirm your decision to proceed.
Tips
- •Make absolutely sure you've backed up all important repositories and data
- •Consider transferring project ownership instead of deleting if others depend on your work
- •Cancel any active subscriptions separately if you have a paid plan
Important Warnings
Permanent Repository and Code Loss
Issues and Merge Requests Deleted
CI/CD Pipelines and Artifacts Lost
Wiki and Documentation Deleted
No Account Recovery
Alternatives to Consider
Migrate to GitHub
GitHub is the world's largest code hosting platform with extensive collaboration features, Actions for CI/CD, and a massive open-source community.
Pros
- •Largest developer community with millions of users
- •GitHub Actions provides powerful CI/CD capabilities
- •Excellent integration with development tools and services
- •Free private repositories with unlimited collaborators
- •Advanced code search and discovery features
Cons
- •Owned by Microsoft, which may be a concern for some users
- •Some advanced features require paid plans
- •Less flexible for self-hosting compared to GitLab
- •CI/CD minutes are limited on free plans
Migrate to Bitbucket
Bitbucket is Atlassian's Git solution with deep integration into the Atlassian ecosystem including Jira and Confluence.
Pros
- •Seamless integration with Jira, Trello, and other Atlassian products
- •Built-in CI/CD with Bitbucket Pipelines
- •Free unlimited private repositories for small teams
- •Good support for both Git and Mercurial
- •Strong enterprise security features
Cons
- •Smaller community compared to GitHub and GitLab
- •User interface can be less intuitive
- •Pipeline minutes are limited on free plans
- •Less popular for open-source projects
Self-Host with Gitea
Gitea is a lightweight, open-source, self-hosted Git service that gives you complete control over your code and data.
Pros
- •Completely open-source and free
- •Full control over your data and infrastructure
- •Lightweight and fast with minimal resource requirements
- •Easy to install and maintain
- •No vendor lock-in or subscription fees
- •Active development and community support
Cons
- •Requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain
- •You're responsible for backups, security, and updates
- •Fewer advanced features compared to GitLab or GitHub
- •Need your own hosting infrastructure
- •Smaller ecosystem of integrations
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Once your GitLab account is permanently deleted, it cannot be recovered. All repositories, issues, merge requests, and associated data are permanently deleted. You will need to create a new account if you want to use GitLab again. Make sure to export all important data before deleting your account.
References & Citations
- [1]GitLab Privacy Policy
Details about how GitLab handles your data and privacy
https://about.gitlab.com/privacy/
- [2]GitLab Account Settings
Information about managing your GitLab account and preferences
https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/profile/account/
All citations verified as of 11/11/2025. We regularly review and update all external links to ensure accuracy.
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Last Updated
November 11, 2025