borgbackup/docs/usage/delete.rst

.. include:: delete.rst.inc

Examples
~~~~~~~~
::

    # Delete all backup archives named "kenny-files":
    $ borg delete -a kenny-files
    # Actually free disk space:
    $ borg compact

    # Delete a specific backup archive using its unique archive ID prefix
    $ borg delete aid:d34db33f

    # Delete all archives whose names begin with the machine's hostname followed by "-"
    $ borg delete -a 'sh:{hostname}-*'

    # Delete all archives whose names contain "-2012-"
    $ borg delete -a 'sh:*-2012-*'

    # See what would be deleted if delete was run without --dry-run
    $ borg delete --list --dry-run -a 'sh:*-May-*'
docs: split usage 2017-06-06 18:06:36 -04:00			`.. include:: delete.rst.inc`

			`Examples`
			`~~~~~~~~`
			`::`

fixed typos and grammar (AI) this was done by Junie AI. 2025-08-23 18:21:57 -04:00			`# Delete all backup archives named "kenny-files":`
docs: update about archive series in borg 1.x, we used to put a timestamp into the archive name to make it unique, because borg1 required that. borg2 does not require unique archive names, but it encourages you to even use an identical archive name within the same SERIES of archives. that makes matching (e.g. for prune, but also at other places) much simpler and borg KNOWS which archives belong to the same series. 2024-09-18 08:05:12 -04:00			`$ borg delete -a kenny-files`
fixed typos and grammar (AI) this was done by Junie AI. 2025-08-23 18:21:57 -04:00			`# Actually free disk space:`
build_usage / build_man / doc updates 2022-06-23 19:19:19 -04:00			`$ borg compact`
docs: split usage 2017-06-06 18:06:36 -04:00
fixed typos and grammar (AI) this was done by Junie AI. 2025-08-23 18:21:57 -04:00			`# Delete a specific backup archive using its unique archive ID prefix`
docs: update about archive series in borg 1.x, we used to put a timestamp into the archive name to make it unique, because borg1 required that. borg2 does not require unique archive names, but it encourages you to even use an identical archive name within the same SERIES of archives. that makes matching (e.g. for prune, but also at other places) much simpler and borg KNOWS which archives belong to the same series. 2024-09-18 08:05:12 -04:00			`$ borg delete aid:d34db33f`

fixed typos and grammar (AI) this was done by Junie AI. 2025-08-23 18:21:57 -04:00			`# Delete all archives whose names begin with the machine's hostname followed by "-"`
docs: fix some -a / --match-archives issues at some places, the docs were not updated yet. for borg 1.x, -a (aka --glob-archives) expected sh: style glob patterns ONLY (but one must not give sh: explicitly). for borg 2, -a (aka --match-archives) defaults to id: style (identical match), so one must give sh: if one wants shell-style globbing. 2023-05-15 18:50:50 -04:00			`$ borg delete -a 'sh:{hostname}-*'`
Update docs on deleting multiple archives 2018-05-26 11:43:43 -04:00
fixed typos and grammar (AI) this was done by Junie AI. 2025-08-23 18:21:57 -04:00			`# Delete all archives whose names contain "-2012-"`
docs: fix some -a / --match-archives issues at some places, the docs were not updated yet. for borg 1.x, -a (aka --glob-archives) expected sh: style glob patterns ONLY (but one must not give sh: explicitly). for borg 2, -a (aka --match-archives) defaults to id: style (identical match), so one must give sh: if one wants shell-style globbing. 2023-05-15 18:50:50 -04:00			`$ borg delete -a 'sh:-2012-'`
Update docs on deleting multiple archives 2018-05-26 11:43:43 -04:00
fixed typos and grammar (AI) this was done by Junie AI. 2025-08-23 18:21:57 -04:00			`# See what would be deleted if delete was run without --dry-run`
docs: fix some -a / --match-archives issues at some places, the docs were not updated yet. for borg 1.x, -a (aka --glob-archives) expected sh: style glob patterns ONLY (but one must not give sh: explicitly). for borg 2, -a (aka --match-archives) defaults to id: style (identical match), so one must give sh: if one wants shell-style globbing. 2023-05-15 18:50:50 -04:00			`$ borg delete --list --dry-run -a 'sh:-May-'`
docs: fix rst literal blocks 2022-07-04 18:38:37 -04:00