How to Delete Multiple Form Submissions at Once

Where to Find Your Form Submissions in Auto Form Builder

All form entries are stored in a clean, inbox-style submissions screen inside your WordPress dashboard.

To open it:

1. Log in to your WordPress admin area.
2. In the left sidebar, click Auto Form Builder.
3. Click Submissions.

You will see every entry from every form on your site, organized with status tabs:

• Unread — new submissions that need attention
• Starred — entries you have marked as important
• Read — submissions you have already processed
• Spam — entries flagged as spam
• Trash — soft-deleted submissions waiting for permanent removal
• All — every submission regardless of status

Each row shows the entry ID, form name, a data preview, status, and submission date — so you can review entries before deleting them.

How to Bulk Delete Form Submissions (Step by Step)

Auto Form Builder uses the same familiar bulk-action workflow as other WordPress admin screens. Here is how to delete multiple submissions at once.

Step 1: Filter or Search Submissions (Optional but Recommended)

Before selecting entries to delete, narrow the list so you only remove what you intend to remove.

At the top of the Submissions page, use the built-in tools:

• Search — find submissions by any field value, including name, email, phone, or custom fields
• Form filter — show entries from one specific form only
• Date filter — limit results to today, this week, last 30 days, last 90 days, and more
• Sort order — sort by newest, oldest, or form name
• Status tabs — jump to Unread, Spam, Trash, or any other category

Click Search & Filter to apply your choices. This is especially useful when you want to bulk-delete old test entries or clear out spam submissions from a specific form.

Step 2: Select the Submissions You Want to Delete

In the submissions table, check the box next to each entry you want to remove. To select every submission on the current page, use the checkbox in the table header.

Note: bulk selection applies to the submissions visible on the current page. If you have multiple pages of results, repeat the process for each page or use filters to narrow the list first.

Step 3: Choose a Bulk Action

Above or below the submissions table, open the Bulk actions dropdown. Auto Form Builder gives you two deletion options:

• Move to Trash — soft-deletes the selected submissions. They are hidden from your main inbox but can still be restored individually.
• Delete Permanently — immediately and permanently removes the selected submissions from your database. This cannot be undone.

Other bulk actions are also available on the same menu — Mark as Read, Mark as Unread, Add to Starred, Remove from Starred, and Mark as Spam — if you want to organize entries before deleting them.

Step 4: Click Apply

After choosing your action, click Apply. WordPress processes the bulk action and reloads the page.

You will see a confirmation message at the top, such as:

• “3 submissions moved to trash.”
• “5 submissions permanently deleted.”

Recommended: Use Trash Before Permanent Deletion

For most site owners, the safest workflow is a two-step process:

1. Move to Trash — bulk-select the submissions and move them to Trash first.
2. Review the Trash tab — open the Trash tab to confirm you selected the right entries.
3. Delete Permanently — select the trashed entries and choose Delete Permanently, or delete them one at a time using the Delete Forever action on each row.

This gives you a chance to catch mistakes before data is gone for good. While in Trash, individual submissions can also be Restored back to your inbox if you change your mind.

Auto Form Builder does not currently offer a bulk Restore action — restoration is done one submission at a time from the Trash tab.

Deleting Spam Submissions in Bulk

Spam entries can pile up quickly, especially on high-traffic contact forms. Auto Form Builder includes built-in spam protection add-ons (Google reCAPTCHA and Cloudflare Turnstile), but some unwanted submissions may still get through.

To clean them up:

1. Go to Submissions and click the Spam tab.
2. Select all spam entries on the page.
3. Choose Move to Trash or Delete Permanently from the Bulk actions menu.
4. Click Apply.

You can also mark submissions as spam in bulk using the Mark as Spam bulk action before deleting them.

Export Submissions Before You Delete Them

Permanent deletion cannot be reversed. If there is any chance you will need the data later — for record-keeping, client reporting, or legal compliance — export your entries first.

Auto Form Builder includes free import and export tools:

1. Go to Auto Form Builder → Settings.
2. Open the Import & Export tab.
3. Under Export Entries, choose the form (or All Forms).
4. Pick your format: CSV, JSON, Excel (.xlsx), or XML.
5. Configure data options such as timestamps, IP addresses, and anonymization.
6. Click Export Entries to download a backup file.

Once your backup is saved, return to the Submissions page and proceed with bulk deletion.

Delete All Submissions for a Specific Email Address (GDPR Erasure)

Sometimes you need to delete submissions based on a person’s identity rather than manually selecting rows — for example, when a visitor submits a GDPR “right to erasure” request and asks you to remove all their personal data.

Auto Form Builder includes a dedicated Delete Personal Data tool for this purpose. It searches every form submission containing a given email address and permanently deletes all matching entries in one action — including associated metadata and uploaded files in those submissions.

To use it:

1. In your WordPress admin, navigate to the Delete Personal Data page at:
   /wp-admin/admin.php?page=auto-form-builder-privacy-delete
2. Enter the person’s email address.
3. Check the confirmation box acknowledging that deletion is permanent.
4. Click Delete Data.

You will see a success message showing how many submissions were deleted, for example: “Successfully deleted 4 submission(s) containing the email address [email protected].”

This tool is designed to help you comply with GDPR Article 17 (Right to Erasure) and similar privacy regulations. A companion Export Personal Data tool is also available for data access and portability requests.

Who Can Delete Form Submissions?

Bulk deletion and privacy data tools in Auto Form Builder require the manage_options capability — typically assigned to WordPress Administrators only. Regular editors, authors, and subscribers cannot access these actions.

This permission check is enforced on every bulk action to keep your form data secure.

Important Things to Know Before Bulk Deleting

• Permanent deletion is irreversible. Once you choose Delete Permanently, the submission data is removed from your WordPress database and cannot be recovered unless you have an export backup.
• Trash is a safety net, not a backup. Trashed submissions still exist in your database until you permanently delete them. Use Trash when you want a review step before final removal.
• Bulk actions work on selected entries only. There is no “delete all submissions” button — you select the entries you want to remove, optionally using filters to narrow the list first.
• Deleting submissions does not delete your forms. Your form configurations, fields, styling, and settings remain intact. Only the submitted entry data is removed.
• Uninstalling the plugin is different. Auto Form Builder has an optional setting to remove all plugin data on uninstall. That is separate from day-to-day submission management and affects forms as well as entries.

Why Auto Form Builder Makes Submission Cleanup Easy

Unlike many WordPress form plugins that charge for entry management, Auto Form Builder includes a full submission inbox with search, filters, status tabs, and bulk actions — all in the free plugin.

Whether you are clearing test data after launching a new form, removing months of spam entries, or responding to a privacy erasure request, you have the tools to handle it without touching code or paying for a premium add-on.

Ready to try it? Download Auto Form Builder for free from WordPress.org, or explore the live demo to see submission management in action.

Frequently Asked Questions