# Export or delete a help center

_Category: Team and account_

Save a copy of your articles, then delete a help center you no longer need. Deleting is permanent, so always export first.

**Who can do this:** The help center's owner · **Plans:** All plans

## Export your articles

1. In the left menu, click the gear icon, then **Settings**.
2. Scroll down to **Danger zone**.
3. Click **Request a PDF export**.

![Screen recording. In Danger zone, request a PDF export first.](https://helpcenter-io.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/self/ujbQ43txM8sfaSwSzflycJq5uaV07S1LIYZK7e5Q.gif)
Only the owner sees Danger zone.

We prepare a ZIP file with a PDF of every article, drafts included, in each of its languages. When it's ready, we email you a download link that works for 7 days. Private articles are included only if you wrote them.

While the export runs, Danger zone shows **Export in progress**. You can request a full export once every 30 minutes. Exporting selected articles from **Articles** doesn't count toward that wait and doesn't show here.

## Export your content as data

If you'd rather keep your content as data than as PDFs, the API's export endpoint returns your categories and articles, with their content, as JSON. Articles in Trash and your team's notes aren't included. You need an API key: see [Create an API key](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/create-an-api-key).

```
curl https://api.helpcenter.io/v1/export \
  -H "apikey: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

Each response includes a `cursor` object. While `cursor.has_more` is `true`, call the endpoint again with `?cursor=` set to the value of `cursor.next`. See [Export](https://developers.helpcenter.io/content/export-api) on the developer portal for the full response format, and [Back up your help center](https://developers.helpcenter.io/content/back-up-your-help-center) there for a ready-made script.

## Delete the help center

**Have more than one help center?** Contact support before you delete the first one you created, so your other help centers stay online.

1. In **Settings**, scroll down to **Danger zone** and click **Delete help center**.
2. Type the help center's subdomain in the box, exactly as shown above it (for example `acme`, without `.helpcenter.io`).
3. Click **Delete permanently**.

![Screen recording. Delete help center asks you to type its subdomain. Deleting cannot be undone. Here we click Cancel.](https://helpcenter-io.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/self/wy0YDnNRdT0QcAEazhoinTx3djSwIqThr9PoGbqt.gif)
In the recording we click Cancel, so nothing is deleted.

You see "Help center deletion started. Data cleanup will complete shortly." and go back to My Help Centers.

## What deleting does

- All of the help center's articles, categories and settings are deleted. This can't be undone.
- The help center's subscription is canceled.
- Your team loses access to it. Their HelpCenter.io accounts aren't affected.

Want to close your whole account instead? See [Change your email, transfer ownership or delete your account](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/account-changes).

## Troubleshooting

**You don't see Danger zone.** Only the help center's owner does. Ask the owner, or have ownership moved to you: see [Change your email, transfer ownership or delete your account](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/account-changes).

**"You cannot run more than 1 full export every 30 minutes."** A full export was requested in the last 30 minutes. Check your inbox for it, or try again later.

**Delete permanently stays grayed out.** Type the subdomain exactly as shown, with nothing before or after it.

## Related articles

- [Export articles as PDF](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/export-articles-as-pdf)
- [Change your email, transfer ownership or delete your account](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/account-changes)
- [How do I cancel my subscription?](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/can-i-cancel-my-subscription-at-any-time)