To delete a Trello board, you first close it, then delete it from the closed boards list. Open the board menu, choose Close board and confirm, then choose Permanently delete board and confirm again. Deleting is permanent and Trello cannot bring a deleted board back, so decide first whether you want to delete it or only get it out of the way.
The steps below follow Trello's own help page on deleting a board, which we read in October 2026. The rest of this guide covers the parts that page keeps short: why the delete button is sometimes missing, what to save first, and what to do if you are deleting boards because you are leaving Trello.
How do you delete a Trello board step by step?
On the web or the desktop app:
- Open the board.
- Open the board menu and select Close board, then confirm with the Close button.
- Select Permanently delete board.
- Check that nothing on the board is something you still need, then select Delete.
If the board is already closed and you cannot find it, go to your Trello home page by selecting the Trello logo, open the Boards section, scroll to the bottom and select View all closed boards. Find the board in that list and select Delete.
The closing step is not optional. Trello only lets you delete a board that is closed, so there is no single delete button on an open board.
Why is there no delete option on your board?
Almost always because you are not allowed to. Who can delete depends on the Workspace:
| Situation | Who can delete the board |
|---|---|
| Board in a Free Workspace | Only the admin of that board |
| Board in a paid Workspace | The board admin, and also any Workspace admin who has the board URL |
| You are a normal member | Nobody: ask an admin |
The closed boards list only shows boards where you are an admin, so a board you can see in the sidebar may not show up there. If you need to remove a board that somebody else created, the honest answer is to ask them, or the Workspace admin if the board lives in a paid Workspace.
One more catch from the same help page: a Workspace admin can only delete a board they do not belong to if they know its URL. There is no way to look up the URL of a closed board unless you were its admin. Email notifications and browser history are the usual places it turns up.
Can you delete a Trello board on your phone?
Only on Android. Trello says its iOS app does not offer board deletion, although you can close a board from the board settings. On iOS you close the board on the phone and delete it later from a browser.
On Android the route is: open the board, tap the three dots at the top right, tap the three dots again to open the board settings, scroll to the bottom, select Close board, then select Delete.
Should you close the board, archive cards or delete?
Close is the reversible one, and it is what most people actually want. A closed board disappears from your boards but keeps everything on it, and a board admin can reopen it from the closed boards list and pick a different Workspace for it if they like.
| Action | What happens | Can you undo it? |
|---|---|---|
| Close a board | Board is hidden, contents kept | Yes, an admin can reopen it |
| Archive a card | Card leaves the board, stays in Archived items | Yes, restore it from Archived items |
| Delete a card | Card is gone | No |
| Delete a board | Board and everything on it is gone | No |
Cards follow the same pattern as boards. To delete a card you have to archive it first, and only then does a Delete option appear. Archived cards are never deleted automatically, so if the goal is a tidier board, archiving is enough and you can stop there. Our guide to Trello archive for cards, lists and boards covers where archived items go and how to restore them.
What should you save before you delete a Trello board?
Export it, because there is no undo. Any member of a board can export it to JSON from the board menu: open the menu, choose Print, Export and Share, then pick an export option. A few details from Trello's export help matter here:
- The JSON export includes the 1,000 most recent actions on the board, which is where comments live. A board with a long history may not export all of its comments this way.
- CSV export, which opens in a spreadsheet, needs a Premium Workspace.
- The CSV leaves out archived cards unless you add
.csvto the end of the board link in your browser's address bar. - Trello states that it is not currently possible to import a JSON or CSV file to re-create a Trello board. The export is a record, not a backup you can restore from inside Trello.
That last point is the one people miss. If you delete a board after exporting it, you still cannot get a working board back. If you might want the board again, close it instead of deleting it.
What if you are deleting boards because you are leaving Trello?
Then export first, and do not delete anything until the new tool has your cards. Deleting is the last step of a move, never the first.
EasyKanban can read a Trello JSON export, so the file you download from the board menu is also the file you import. Upload it on the home page and you get a board with the same columns and cards, and the import is free on every plan. The free plan allows three boards with unlimited cards, so decide which two or three boards are worth moving and let the rest stay closed. Our Trello alternative page covers what carries over and what does not.
If you are still weighing whether to leave, kanban vs Trello compares a plain kanban tool with Trello's feature set, and why freelancers are leaving Trello lists the reasons people give. For open-source options you can host yourself, see open-source Trello alternatives.
FAQ
Can you recover a deleted Trello board?
No. Trello states that deleting a board is permanent and a deleted board cannot be recovered. A board that was only closed can be reopened by an admin from the closed boards list. If you are unsure, close the board and delete it later.
Why can't I delete a board in Trello?
You probably are not an admin of that board. In a Free Workspace only the board admin can delete it. In a paid Workspace a Workspace admin can too. Also check that the board is closed, because Trello only deletes closed boards.
Does deleting a Trello board delete the cards on it?
Yes. Deleting a board removes the board and everything on it, including its lists and cards. If you want to keep the cards, export the board to JSON first, or close the board instead of deleting it.
How do you delete a Trello board on iPhone?
You cannot delete it in the iOS app. Trello says the iOS app only lets you close a board from its settings. Close the board on your phone, then sign in on the Trello website and delete it from the closed boards list.
What is the difference between closing and deleting a Trello board?
Closing hides the board and keeps its contents, and an admin can reopen it later. Deleting removes it for good, with no way to get it back. Trello requires a board to be closed before it can be deleted.