To delete craving tracking data, first decide whether you want to remove one incorrect or private entry or the complete history. Delete it inside the tracker, then check for copies in exported files, screenshots, device backups, and any online account the service maintains.
Do not create an export automatically. An export is another copy of the information. Make one only if you need the record for yourself, a clinician, or another specific purpose.
Choose exactly what you want to remove
Deletion controls differ between trackers, so name the intended result before opening the settings:
- One entry: remove an inaccurate, duplicated, or unwanted record.
- Several entries: remove a particular period while keeping the rest.
- All tracker data: clear the complete local history.
- An online account: remove information held by the service as well as the app from your phone.
- Only visible detail: edit a note, hide notification previews, or use an app lock instead of deleting the underlying record.
Use the narrowest option that meets your privacy goal. If you are reacting to one difficult entry after a slip, review what happened without erasing your progress before deciding. That is an option, not an obligation to keep data you no longer want.
Delete a log from Hard Bit
Hard Bit works without an account and stores entered information on the device. Its documented deletion path is:
- Open the entry and use its edit or delete control if you want to remove only that entry.
- To remove all entries, open the You tab and use the delete-data control.
- Confirm that you intend to delete the data.
- If you no longer want the app, delete it from the iPhone after clearing the data.
Export and deletion are included in the free experience. An export produces a plain file under your control, so save one only if you genuinely want a separate copy. The Hard Bit support page describes these controls and the free and subscription boundaries.
Because Hard Bit has no account and does not transmit entered history to Daily Life Apps, there is no Hard Bit server account or server-side craving history to erase. The Hard Bit overview explains its on-device storage and forecast.
Apple's current iPhone instructions are to touch and hold the app, choose Remove App, then Delete App, and confirm Delete. Merely removing it from the Home Screen is not the same action.
Deleting an app also does not cancel an in-app subscription. Manage any subscription separately through your Apple Account subscription settings.
Remove copies outside the app
Deleting the original log does not affect every copy you may have created. Check only the locations relevant to you:
- Exports: Files, Downloads, email attachments, shared folders, or another cloud drive.
- Screenshots: the Photos library, Recently Deleted, shared albums, and synced devices.
- Messages: copies sent to another person remain in the conversation and may remain on their device.
- Paper records: printed exports or notes copied into a diary.
- Other apps: calendar entries, notes, spreadsheets, or health records.
- Old devices: another phone or tablet may contain an earlier local copy.
If an export contains information you still need, move it to a suitable private location rather than leaving it in email or a shared folder.
Check iCloud Backup separately
Many iPhone apps are included in iCloud Backup automatically. If the tracker appears in the app list for your device backup, deleting the app from the phone may not clear the copy already stored there.
Apple documents this path:
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Open iCloud, then Storage or Manage Account Storage.
- Tap Backups and select the device.
- Turn off the tracker in the app list.
- Confirm Turn Off.
Apple says this turns backup off for that app and removes its information from iCloud. Some apps cannot be disabled individually. Settings labels can also vary by software version, so follow the wording shown on your device.
This step concerns iCloud Backup. Files deliberately saved to iCloud Drive, screenshots in iCloud Photos, and attachments in Messages are separate copies that need their own review.
Ask an online service to erase its copy
Do not assume that deleting an app deletes information held by its provider. If the tracker uses an account, check its current privacy policy and account settings for:
- a Delete account or Delete data control,
- what deletion includes,
- whether any records must be retained,
- how long deletion takes,
- and how to contact its privacy team.
In the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office says you can ask an organisation to erase personal data in defined circumstances. The right is not absolute. An organisation may retain information when an exemption applies, including some legal, public-interest, health-care, research, or legal-claims reasons.
A request can state:
I am requesting erasure of the personal data associated with this account. Please confirm what will be deleted, what must be retained, and when the request is complete.
The ICO says an organisation normally has one calendar month to respond. It may take up to two additional months in certain circumstances but should tell you within the first month. Rules differ by country, so use guidance from the regulator where you live.
If someone monitors your phone, plan for safety first
Deleting a private log may be reasonable when another person reads your phone without permission. However, changing a passcode, removing an app, or altering an account can alert someone who is monitoring the device.
The Safety Net Project advises using a safer device that the other person has not accessed when seeking help. It also warns that sudden changes can escalate abuse or erase evidence you may want for a safety plan, legal advice, or a report.
If monitoring, stalking, coercive control, or violence may be involved:
- avoid researching your plan on the monitored device,
- contact a specialist domestic-abuse or victim-support service from a safer device,
- consider whether screenshots or logs should be preserved somewhere safe,
- and contact emergency services if anyone is in immediate danger.
There is no single correct technical response. The safest sequence depends on who controls the phone, cloud account, mobile plan, passwords, and other connected devices.
Decide whether to keep any useful information
A craving log can reveal repeated hours, settings, or cues. Deleting entries reduces the information available for those comparisons, but this does not mean you must keep material that feels intrusive or unsafe.
For alcohol specifically, NIAAA lists keeping track as one possible cutting-down strategy. Research describes self-monitoring as a common behavior-change component, but evidence for its role in alcohol change is mixed. A tracker is a reflection tool, not treatment and not a guarantee of change.
Possible middle paths include:
- edit an inaccurate entry rather than deleting it,
- remove identifying names or detailed notes where the app permits editing,
- keep only a brief time and cue,
- export a limited summary rather than the complete journal,
- or keep no record and use another form of support.
Hard Bit makes no forecast below five entries and relies more fully on personal history at around twenty. Removing entries can therefore weaken or remove its displayed pattern. If you keep some data, use it to identify repeated triggers and difficult times.
Deleting data does not change health risks
Deleting a log is a privacy decision. It does not make abruptly stopping alcohol or medication safer.
The NHS warns that stopping alcohol overnight can be harmful when someone is physically dependent. Hallucinations, severe tremors, or seizures during alcohol withdrawal require emergency help. The FDA similarly warns that stopping benzodiazepines suddenly or reducing them too quickly can cause serious withdrawal reactions, including potentially life-threatening seizures.
Seek medical advice before reducing or stopping if dependence may be possible. Contact emergency services for severe withdrawal symptoms or immediate danger. A tracker cannot assess withdrawal risk or replace qualified care.
More source-reviewed articles are available in the Hard Bit guide library. Our editorial policy explains how health claims and product information are reviewed.
Frequently asked questions
Does deleting an app delete its craving log?
It deletes locally stored app data from that device, but it may not remove iCloud backups, exports, screenshots, messages, or information held by an online service. Check each relevant location separately.
Can I delete one Hard Bit entry without deleting everything?
Yes. Hard Bit's privacy documentation says entries can be edited or deleted inside the app. Use the all-data control in the You tab only when you want to remove the complete local history.
Will deleting entries change my Hard Bit forecast?
It can. The forecast uses your logged history, offers no prediction below five entries, and relies more fully on your data at around twenty. Removing enough entries can weaken the pattern or make the forecast disappear.
Should I export my data before deleting it?
Only if you need a copy for a clear purpose. An export may preserve useful information, but it also creates another sensitive file that must be stored or deleted separately.
Can a company refuse an erasure request?
Sometimes. The UK right to erasure applies only in defined circumstances, and exemptions can permit retention. Ask the organisation to explain what it will delete, what it must retain, and why.
