Remove, restore, or permanently delete an app

Sometimes you no longer want a specific app registered to a Firebase project (for example, you want to eliminate an obsolete app variant). However, before deleting an app, review this article so that you understand what happens when an app is deleted and what it means for your Firebase project.

When you remove an app from your Firebase project, the app is scheduled to be automatically permanently deleted after 30 days. During that 30 days, you can restore the removed app before it's permanently deleted. After the permanent deletion, though, you cannot restore the app.

Therefore, before removing an app from your Firebase project, make sure that permanent deletion of the app from your project is what you really intend.

What happens after removing, restoring, or permanently deleting an app from a Firebase project?

It's important to understand what happens when you remove an app from a Firebase project and then after it's subsequently permanently deleted (if it's not restored within 30 days of removal).

What happens after removing an app?

If you remove an app from a Firebase project (before permanent deletion), the following happens:

• Firebase products that are keyed to the app's Firebase App ID stop collecting, processing, and using incoming data.
  • This Firebase App ID is a unique Google-assigned identifier for each app. The following Firebase products are keyed to the Firebase App ID: App Check, Hosting, Crashlytics, Performance Monitoring, Test Lab, App Distribution, Cloud Messaging, In-App Messaging, Remote Config, A/B Testing, and Dynamic Links.
• If the app is linked to Google Analytics, the following happens:
  • Any incoming Google Analytics data for the app continues to flow into the linked data stream.
  • However, Firebase products stop processing and using incoming Google Analytics data.
• The app is automatically permanently deleted after 30 days (unless it's been restored).

What happens after restoring an app?

Important: You can restore an app to a Firebase project within 30 days after the app is removed from the Firebase project. However, after it's permanently deleted, it cannot be restored.

If you restore an app that's been removed from a Firebase project, the following happens:

• Firebase products that were keyed to the app's Firebase App ID restart collecting and processing incoming data again.
  • This Firebase App ID is a unique Google-assigned identifier for each app. The following Firebase products are keyed to the Firebase App ID: App Check, Hosting, Crashlytics, Performance Monitoring, Test Lab, App Distribution, Cloud Messaging, In-App Messaging, Remote Config, A/B Testing, and Dynamic Links.
• If the app was linked to Google Analytics, the following happens:
  • Firebase products restart processing and using incoming Google Analytics data again. Note that data will not be available for the time when the app was pending deletion, but all historical data will be available from before the removal.

What happens after permanently deleting an app?

Important: Permanent deletion of an app automatically happens 30 days after the app is removed from the Firebase project.

When an app is permanently deleted from a Firebase project, the following occurs:

• If the app is linked to Google Analytics, the following happens:
  • The data stream link for the app is severed.
  • Any incoming Google Analytics data for the app is no longer processed and no longer flows into the previously linked Google Analytics data stream.
  • Historical Google Analytics data corresponding to the app is still stored in the associated Google Analytics property according to data retention policies.
  • Any Google Analytics data for any other apps connected to your Firebase project is not affected.
• The Firebase App ID is permanently deleted.
  • This Firebase App ID is a unique Google-assigned identifier for each app. Several Google products use this ID, including Google Ads where conversions are keyed off this ID. Note that, depending on the product or platform, your App ID might be referred to as gmp_app_id, mobilesdk_app_id, google_app_id, or app_id.
• For API keys or OAuth clients, the following happens:

  • Corresponding API keys or OAuth clients are NOT deleted.

    You can clean up any associated API keys or OAuth clients in the Credentials page of the Google Cloud Console.

    Caution: Deleting API keys or OAuth clients breaks installed applications for your end users. Without an API key, your app can't call our APIs; and without an OAuth client, your users can't authenticate with Google sign-in. 

Note: After an app is permanently deleted, you can later add an app using the same package name or bundle ID to the same project or different project. Be aware, though, that you'll need to do the following:

• Re-link any desired integrations, such as those with AdMob, BigQuery, or Google Analytics.
• Re-import all your previous conversions into Google Ads for conversion tracking. Note that your newly added app will have a different App ID, so you need to re-configure any products (like Ads) that key data to an App ID.

How to remove (and subsequently permanently delete) an app from a Firebase project

Use the following instructions to remove an app from a Firebase project. The app will be automatically permanently deleted after 30 days (if it's not restored within those 30 days).

1. Sign into the Firebase console, and then open your project.
2. Click , and then select Project settings.
3. In the Your apps card, select the app that you want to remove (and subsequently permanently delete).
4. Under the Your apps card, click Remove this app.
5. Confirm the changes that will occur with the removal (and subsequent deletion) of the app.
6. Click Remove app.

Note that alternatively, you can remove an app from a Firebase project using the REST API endpoints for iOS, Android, and web apps.

How to restore an app to a Firebase project

If you need to restore an app that's been removed from a Firebase project, you can do so within 30 days of the app's removal.

1. Sign into the Firebase console, and then open your project.
2. Click , and then select Project settings.
3. In the Your apps card, click Apps pending deletion.
4. In the row for the app that you want to restore, click RESTORE APP.
5. Confirm the changes that will occur with the restoration of the app.
6. Click Restore app.

Note that alternatively, you can restore a removed app to a Firebase project using the REST API endpoints for iOS, Android, and web apps.

How to immediately and permanently delete an app from a Firebase project

If you need to immediately delete an app from a Firebase project, you can do so anytime before Firebase automatically deletes it (which happens 30 days after it's been removed). If you immediately delete an app, the app will be permanently deleted and cannot be restored.

Note that you have to remove the app from your project first and then perform an additional set of actions to delete it immediately.

1. Follow the instructions above to Remove an app.
2. After removing the app, go back to the Your apps card, and then click Apps pending deletion.
3. In the row for the app that you want to delete immediately, click DELETE NOW.
4. Confirm the changes that will occur with the permanent deletion of the app.
5. Click Delete app permanently.

Note that alternatively, you can immediately permanently delete an app from a Firebase project using the REST API endpoints for iOS, Android, and web apps.