> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vozagent.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deleting Knowledge Items

> How to remove documents and items from your VozAgent knowledge base, including what happens when items are linked to assistants.

When knowledge items are outdated, incorrect, or no longer needed, you can delete them from your knowledge base. This article covers what can be deleted, how the process works, and what to watch out for when items are linked to assistants.

***

## What Can Be Deleted

You can delete any knowledge item that you created yourself. **System items** (auto-generated by VozAgent) cannot be deleted.

| Item type                                  | Can be deleted? |
| ------------------------------------------ | --------------- |
| **Text content** (user-created)            | Yes             |
| **Website** (user-created)                 | Yes             |
| **PDF / Document** (user-created)          | Yes             |
| **System items** (Business KB, Website KB) | No              |

System items are marked with a **System** badge and lock icon. They are permanently linked to your assistants and cannot be unlinked.

***

## How to Delete a Knowledge Item

### From the Knowledge page

1. Go to **Knowledge** in your dashboard sidebar
2. Find the item you want to delete
3. Click the **trash icon** button on the item

A confirmation dialog appears titled **Delete Document**.

### From the documents list view

If you are viewing items inside a specific knowledge base:

1. Click the **three-dot menu** on the item row
2. Select **Delete**

The same confirmation dialog appears.

***

## The Delete Confirmation Dialog

When you click delete, a confirmation dialog asks you to confirm. What you see depends on whether the item is linked to any assistants.

### Items with no assistant links

If the item is not linked to any assistants, the dialog is straightforward:

* **Title:** "Delete Document"
* **Message:** "Are you sure you want to delete '\[item title]'?"
* **Warning:** "This action cannot be undone."
* Click **Delete** to confirm, or **Cancel** to go back

The Delete button shows "Deleting..." while the operation is in progress.

### Items linked to assistants

If the item is linked to one or more assistants, the dialog includes extra safety measures to prevent accidental data loss:

1. **An amber warning box** appears explaining the impact:
   > "This document is linked to \[X] assistant(s). Deleting it will remove access to this information from those assistants. They will no longer be able to reference this content when answering questions."

2. **A confirmation field** requires you to type **DELETE** (in capital letters) before the Delete button becomes active

This extra step protects you from accidentally removing knowledge that your assistants are actively using during calls.

***

## What Happens When You Delete an Item

When you confirm the deletion:

1. **The item is permanently removed** from your knowledge base. This cannot be undone.
2. **All assistant links are removed.** Any assistants that were using this item will no longer have access to its content.
3. **Assistants are updated automatically.** You do not need to manually update each assistant -- VozAgent handles the disconnection.
4. **The assistant count on other items is not affected.** Only the deleted item's links are removed.

> **Important:** Deletion is permanent. If you think you might need the content again, consider copying it somewhere safe before deleting, or simply [unlink it](/help/knowledge-base/linking-kb-to-assistants) from your assistants instead.

***

## Deleting vs. Unlinking

It is important to understand the difference between deleting and unlinking:

| Action     | What it does                                                                   | When to use it                                                              |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Delete** | Permanently removes the item from your knowledge base and all assistants       | The content is outdated, wrong, or no longer useful to any assistant        |
| **Unlink** | Removes the item from a specific assistant but keeps it in your knowledge base | You want one assistant to stop using it, but other assistants still need it |

To unlink an item from a specific assistant, go to the assistant's detail page, find the item in the **Knowledge** section, and click the **X button**. See [Linking Knowledge to Assistants](/help/knowledge-base/linking-kb-to-assistants) for details.

***

## Cleaning Up Unused Items

Over time, your knowledge base may accumulate items that are no longer linked to any assistants. You can identify these by checking the **assistant count** shown on each item in the Knowledge list:

* Items showing "0 assistants" are not being used by any assistant
* These items still take up space in your knowledge base but do not affect any calls
* Consider deleting them to keep your knowledge base tidy

***

## Admin Permissions

Only **admin** users can delete knowledge items. If you have a non-admin role:

* You can view knowledge items and their content
* The trash icon / delete option will not appear
* Contact your organization admin to delete items

For a full breakdown of what each role can do, see [Managing Knowledge Items](/help/knowledge-base/managing-knowledge-items).

***

## Troubleshooting

**The delete button is grayed out.**

* If the item is linked to assistants, you must type **DELETE** in the confirmation field before the button becomes active. Make sure you type it in capital letters.

**I do not see a delete option on an item.**

* Check if the item has a **System** badge. System items cannot be deleted.
* Check your user role. Only admins can delete items.

**I accidentally deleted an item.**

* Unfortunately, deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. You will need to recreate the item:
  * For text items: [Add new text content](/help/knowledge-base/adding-text-content)
  * For website items: [Add the URL again](/help/knowledge-base/adding-website-content)
  * For documents: [Re-upload the file](/help/knowledge-base/uploading-documents)
* After recreating the item, remember to [link it to the appropriate assistants](/help/knowledge-base/linking-kb-to-assistants).

***

## Related Articles

* [Knowledge Base Overview](/help/knowledge-base/knowledge-base-overview) -- What knowledge bases are and how they work
* [Managing Knowledge Items](/help/knowledge-base/managing-knowledge-items) -- View, edit, sync, and organize your knowledge
* [Editing Knowledge Items](/help/knowledge-base/editing-knowledge-items) -- Update content without deleting
* [Linking Knowledge to Assistants](/help/knowledge-base/linking-kb-to-assistants) -- Attach and detach knowledge from assistants
* [Automatic Website Knowledge](/help/knowledge-base/auto-website-knowledge) -- Understanding system-generated knowledge items