How to Delete Multiple Form Submissions at Once

Old test entries, spam that slipped through, submissions you’ve already actioned and exported — over time your submissions list accumulates clutter you don’t need. Removing it one entry at a time is tedious. Auto Form Builder lets you clear out many submissions at once, with a safety net so you don’t lose anything by accident. Here’s how to do it properly.

Select the entries to remove

In the submissions dashboard, each row has a checkbox, plus one in the header to select everything on the page. Tick the entries you want to clear — or filter first (by form, date range, or a search) to isolate exactly the set you want gone, then select them. This filtering-first habit is what makes bulk deletion safe and precise rather than a blunt instrument.

Trash vs delete permanently

There are two removal actions, and the difference matters:

• Move to Trash sends the selected entries to the Trash tab. They’re out of your main view but recoverable — a safety net in case you selected something you shouldn’t have.
• Delete Permanently removes entries for good, with no recovery.

The safe workflow is almost always to trash first: select your entries, choose Move to Trash from the bulk actions, and click Apply. Review the Trash tab, and only then use Delete Permanently on what you’re certain about.

Do it in bulk

Both actions work across a whole selection at once. Select fifty spam entries, choose Move to Trash, Apply — done in one step instead of fifty. This is part of the broader bulk actions toolkit, which also lets you mark entries read, star them, or flag them as spam in the same way. Deletion is just the cleanup end of that same workflow.

A safe bulk-deletion routine

• Filter or search to isolate the entries you want to remove.
• Select them with the checkboxes.
• Move to Trash first as a safety step.
• Review the Trash tab.
• Delete Permanently only what you’re sure about.

Following that order means you get a clean list without the risk of losing a submission you actually needed.

Reduce the need to delete

The best way to spend less time deleting is to have less junk arrive. Most bulk deletion is spam cleanup, so turning on spam protection — reCAPTCHA or Cloudflare Turnstile — stops most junk before it ever reaches your list. Between prevention and the Spam tab, you’ll have far less to clear out in the first place.

Export before you delete, if in doubt

If there’s any chance you’ll want the data later, export the entries to CSV or JSON before deleting. That way you keep a record even after clearing them from the dashboard — useful for anything you’re removing for tidiness rather than because it’s genuinely junk.

A clean list, safely

Deleting multiple submissions at once keeps your dashboard tidy and fast to work in, and with trash as a safety net you can do it confidently. Filter, select, trash, review, and permanently delete only what you’re sure of — a quick routine that keeps clutter under control. And it’s free, no code required.

Related reading: Backing up WordPress form submissions.

Ready to keep your submissions tidy? Install Auto Form Builder free from WordPress.org.