Should I...?

Should I keep one year of history before deleting?

WipeAway FAQ·2 min read·Updated July 2026

Short answer

For most calendars, keeping 12 months of history is a sensible default. For compliance-sensitive calendars, check your data retention policy first.

Why 12 months is a common starting point

Keeping the current and previous year's events means you can look back at what happened "this time last year" — useful for recurring annual events, performance reviews, and year-on-year comparisons. Events older than 12 months are rarely referenced in most working contexts.

When to keep more

Long-running projects or programmes where historical context matters
Compliance-sensitive environments with specific data retention periods
Legal or regulatory proceedings where calendar records may be relevant

When to keep less

High-frequency calendars (appointment booking, shift rotas) where history has no ongoing value
Data minimisation requirements under GDPR where you should not retain data longer than necessary
Calendars containing personal data where a shorter retention period is appropriate

Tip: When in doubt, export the calendar as a backup first. You can then set a more aggressive cut-off date, knowing that the exported ICS file preserves the historical record if you ever need it.

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