Account Deletion and Exporting Your Data
What deletion and export rights exist under California and EU law, how response deadlines work, why deleting an app is not deleting your data, and why derived scores may not be exportable.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Deleting the app is not deleting the data
Removing an app from your phone usually stops new readings from being collected on that phone. It does not by itself tell the company to erase what it already holds. To ask for that, you generally need to use the company's account settings or privacy request process. This page describes the rights found in the official sources we read, for California and the European Union only. It is general information, not legal advice, and we did not verify rules for other places. We also did not read any device maker's help pages, so we cannot describe the steps for a specific brand.Rights that exist in the places we checked
| California (CCPA) | European Union (GDPR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is covered | For-profit businesses that do business in California and meet revenue or data-volume thresholds; generally not nonprofits or government agencies [1] | Organizations established in the EU, and those elsewhere that offer goods or services to people in the EU [2] |
| Know or access | Right to know what personal information a business collects and how it is used and shared [1] | Company should provide a copy of your personal data free of charge [3] |
| Delete | Right to delete personal information collected from you, with some exceptions [1] | You can ask for erasure when data is no longer needed or processing is unlawful [3] |
| Export | Not described on the page we read as a separate item | You can receive your personal data in a machine-readable format and send it to another controller [3] |
| Response time | Within 45 calendar days, extendable by another 45 if you are notified [1] | Controller must respond within one month [4] |
Official sources: California Attorney General (CCPA page) and the European Commission and European Data Protection Board.
Limits to know about
- Exceptions. California says the right to delete has exceptions and that certain medical information is exempt from the CCPA. [1] In the EU, an organization can refuse erasure only in a limited number of cases. [4]
- Derived data. The EDPB guide says the right to data portability does not cover data the organization itself creates on the basis of your data. [4] That may matter for proprietary scores a company calculates, such as a "readiness" number, though whether a specific score is covered is a legal question for each case that we did not verify.
- Data already shared. In its Premom order the FTC required the company to seek deletion of data it had shared with third parties. [5] Deleting your account does not automatically make every outside copy disappear.
- Promises can fail. The FTC alleged that a genetic testing company said consumers could delete their personal information at any time but failed to keep these promises. [6] That is an allegation about one company.
- Other places. If you live outside California or the EU, the rights may differ. We did not read the laws of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia or other states.
A calm checklist
- Export first, then delete, if you want your history. A file you can open is useful when talking to a clinician; see preparing a useful data summary for a clinician.
- Look in the account or privacy settings for an export or delete option. If you cannot find one, check the privacy notice for a contact.
- Write down the date you asked. Rights laws set response deadlines, as in the table above.
- Remove the app and revoke permissions. See app permissions and cloud storage.
- If your data came through an employer or insurer program, ask that program too; see employer and insurer wellness programs.
If you are leaving tracking altogether
Stopping can be a healthy choice for some people; see when taking a break from tracking may help.Frequently asked questions
Does uninstalling an app delete my data?
Not necessarily. The rights above are exercised with the company. [1][3] The app's privacy notice should say how.
How long can a company take to respond?
In California, 45 calendar days, extendable by another 45 with notice. [1] Under the GDPR, one month. [4] Other places may differ.
Can I take my data to another service?
Under the GDPR you can receive your personal data in a machine-readable format and send it to another controller, but the right does not concern data the organization creates itself from your data. [3][4]
Can a company refuse to delete?
Both regimes allow limited exceptions. [1][4]
Will deleting also remove what advertisers or brokers got?
Not automatically. See third-party data sharing and data brokers.
References
- California Attorney General. California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Read 2026-10-22.
- European Commission. Data protection explained. Read 2026-10-22.
- European Commission. Information for individuals. Read 2026-10-22.
- European Data Protection Board. Respect individuals’ rights (SME guide). Read 2026-10-22.
- FTC. Ovulation Tracking App Premom Will be Barred from Sharing Health Data for Advertising Under Proposed FTC Order (17 May 2023). Read 2026-10-22.
- FTC. FTC Says Genetic Testing Company 1Health Failed to Protect Privacy and Security of DNA Data and Unfairly Changed its Privacy Policy (16 Jun 2023). Read 2026-10-22.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.