How to Bulk Delete Twilio Voice Recordings – Twilio Support

Objective

If you're looking to bulk delete your Twilio recordings, this guide will walk you through the necessary steps. We understand that managing a large number of recordings can be challenging, and we're here to help make the process as smooth as possible.

Product

Programmable Voice

Environment

legacy Twilio Console

Procedure

Important Considerations

Before proceeding with any deletion, it's crucial to understand the following:

Individual Deletion: The Twilio API does not support a single call to delete all recordings at once. Each recording must be deleted individually, either via the Twilio Console's bulk UI or through a series of API calls.
Irreversibility: Once a recording is deleted, it cannot be recovered. Please ensure you have a backup or are certain you no longer need the recordings before you delete them.
Potential Errors: You may encounter an error (e.g., Error 16110) when processing bulk deletion requests through the Twilio Console due to an internal failure.

Solution: Using a Script for Deletion

For large datasets, using a script is the most efficient and reliable method to handle the deletion process. Below is a sample Node.js script that demonstrates how to delete recordings with optional filters.

Prerequisites

You need the Twilio helper library for Node.js. Install it using npm:

npm install twilio

Sample Script

The following script uses an asynchronous approach to fetch and delete recordings based on specified criteria. Once you have written the appropriate filter, uncomment the line in the script.

// Download the helper library from https://www.twilio.com/docs/node/install
// Find your Account SID and Auth Token at twilio.com/console
const accountSid = '';
const authToken = '';
const client = require('twilio')(accountSid, authToken);


// Delete single recording
async function deleteRecording(sid) {
    // await client.recordings(sid).remove(); // uncomment when ready
    console.log(`Deleted: ${sid}`);
}

// Delete all recordings with filter options
async function deleteRecordingsWithFilter(options = {}) {
    try {
        // Get recordings with optional filters
        const recordings = await client.recordings.list(options);
        console.log(`Found ${recordings.length} recordings matching filter criteria...`);
        
        if (recordings.length === 0) {
            console.log('No recordings found matching the criteria.');
            return;
        }

        // Delete each recording
        const deletePromises = recordings.map(recording => 
            deleteRecording(recording.sid)
        );
        
        await Promise.all(deletePromises);
        console.log(`Successfully deleted ${recordings.length} filtered recordings!`);
        
    } catch (error) {
        console.error('Error deleting filtered recordings:', error);
        throw error;
    }
}

// Run the deletion with filter options
deleteRecordingsWithFilter({
    dateCreatedBefore: new Date('2024-01-01')
});

Filtering Options

You can customize the script by providing different filter options to the deleteRecordingsWithFilter function. For a full list of available query parameters, refer to the Twilio Recording API documentation. Common filters include dateCreatedBefore, callSid, and conferenceSid.

Additional Information

While bulk deleting voice recordings can present challenges, using a script provides a robust and reliable solution. By understanding the limitations of the API and leveraging a programmatic approach, you can efficiently manage and remove your Twilio recordings, ensuring a smoother and more controlled process.