How To Delete Your Genshin Impact Account: A Complete Step-By-Step Guide

Deciding to delete your Genshin Impact account is a big decision. Whether you’re taking a permanent break from Teyvat, starting fresh on another platform, or just want to move on, understanding how to properly delete your account is essential. The process isn’t overly complicated, but there are important steps to follow and potential pitfalls to avoid. This guide walks you through the entire deletion process, from preparation to confirmation, so you know exactly what to expect and can make an informed choice.

Understanding Genshin Impact Account Deletion

What Happens When You Delete Your Account

When you delete your Genshin Impact account, you’re making a permanent decision. All game progress, characters, weapons, artifacts, exploration completion, story progression, and battle pass data, gets wiped. Your account becomes unrecoverable after the deletion window closes. There’s no refund for spent Genesis Crystals or Welkin Moon purchases, and any time-limited rewards you missed are gone forever.

HoYoverse (the developer) maintains data backups for a specific period after deletion, but once that window expires, recovery becomes impossible. The exact timeline varies, so it’s critical you understand the deletion window before submitting your request.

Key Differences Between Deletion And Deactivation

Deletion and deactivation sound similar but operate very differently. Account deactivation temporarily locks your account while preserving all data. You can reactivate a deactivated account anytime during a set window. Account deletion, on the other hand, is permanent after the grace period ends. Deactivation is reversible: deletion is not.

If you’re just burned out or need a break, deactivation might be the safer choice. Deletion should only happen when you’re absolutely certain you won’t return. Some players think deletion is like deactivation, don’t be that person. Once you hit that final confirmation button, your Genshin Impact journey is done.

Before You Delete: Important Preparation Steps

Backing Up Important Information

Before touching deletion buttons, document anything important. Screenshots of your UID (Unique ID), account level, main roster, and any precious moments capture memories, not recoverable data, but meaningful nonetheless. Write down your original registration email and password to ensure you can access the account deletion portal.

Note any linked third-party accounts (Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter/X, Discord, etc.). When you delete your Genshin Impact account, those links break, but you should be aware of what’s connected. If you use the same email elsewhere, screenshot your game stats and character builds for reference before they vanish.

Linking And Unlinking Your Account

Your Genshin Impact account likely connects to one or more platforms. Check your account settings to see all linked methods: email, phone number, social media profiles, and gaming platforms (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo). Before deletion, you’ll want clarity on which account method you’ll use to submit the deletion request.

Unlinking isn’t strictly necessary for deletion, but some players do it to prevent accidental re-access. If you plan to create a new Genshin Impact account using the same email, you might need to unlink your current email first. The process varies depending on your login method, so verify your account’s current linked status on the Genshin Impact official website.

Dealing With In-Game Purchases And Balances

This part stings: there are no refunds for Genesis Crystals, Battle Pass purchases, or Welkin Moon subscriptions. If you have remaining Primogems or paid currency, they’re lost upon deletion. Some players spend remaining crystals on wishes as a final goodbye: others let them vanish. Either way, money spent is gone. HoYoverse’s terms are clear, no exceptions, no exceptions, no exceptions.

Check if you have an active Welkin Moon subscription. Some players forget they’re still subscribed. If the subscription renews after deletion, that charge might hit your payment method even though your account is gone. Cancel any active subscriptions through your payment method’s account settings before submitting your deletion request.

Step-By-Step Account Deletion Process

Deleting Through The Official Genshin Impact Website

Head to the official Genshin Impact account page. Log in using your registered email, phone number, or linked social account. Once logged in, navigate to Account Settings in the left sidebar.

Scroll down until you find the Delete Account section. It’s usually near the bottom, HoYoverse doesn’t hide it, but they don’t advertise it either. The button typically reads “Delete Account” or “Request Account Deletion.” Click it. A popup warning appears explaining the permanent nature of deletion and listing what you’ll lose. Read it carefully.

Submitting Your Deletion Request

After confirming the warning, you’ll face a questionnaire. HoYoverse asks why you’re leaving, options usually include “Switching to a different account,” “Concerned about privacy,” “No longer playing,” or similar reasons. Your answer doesn’t affect whether deletion proceeds: it’s purely for their internal feedback.

You’ll then be asked to confirm your password and possibly solve a CAPTCHA. This is the final verification step before the system sends you a confirmation email. Make sure you check that you have access to the email address associated with your account, you’ll need it to finalize deletion.

Confirming The Deletion Email

Within minutes (sometimes up to an hour), a confirmation email arrives from HoYoverse. Do not skip this email, deletion doesn’t happen without it. Open the email and look for a clickable link or button labeled something like “Confirm Account Deletion” or “Proceed with Deletion.”

Click that link. You may be asked to verify your identity again through email or SMS. Once you click the link in the email, the countdown begins. HoYoverse typically gives you a 7-to-15 day grace period (exact duration may vary) during which you can cancel deletion by logging in. After that window closes, your account and all associated data are permanently purged from HoYoverse’s servers. Don’t second-guess yourself during this period, that’s the whole point of the grace window.

Common Issues And Troubleshooting

Account Locked Or Access Denied Errors

Sometimes, you can’t even access the account deletion page. This usually means your account is locked due to suspicious activity or multiple failed login attempts. If you see an error like “Account locked” or “Access denied,” try these steps:

1. Wait 24 hours. Temporary locks often expire on their own.
2. Reset your password through the account recovery page.
3. Contact HoYoverse support through their official website with proof of identity (email receipt, payment proof, etc.).
4. If you don’t have access to your registered email, contact support immediately, they’ll need to verify ownership before proceeding.

Account locks can take days to resolve, so patience is key. Don’t keep hammering the login button, that typically extends the lock.

Not Receiving The Deletion Confirmation Email

You submitted your deletion request but no confirmation email arrived. First, check your spam and promotions folders, automated emails sometimes hide there. Whitelist HoYoverse’s email addresses (typically @hoyoverse.com or @mihoyo.com) and try requesting deletion again.

If that doesn’t work, verify the email address on your account is correct. Log in and check account settings to confirm which email is registered. If you can’t access the account to verify, contact support. Provide them with the email address you believe is linked and when you submitted the deletion request.

On rare occasions, the system glitches and the email doesn’t send. In those cases, support can manually resend it or verify your deletion intent directly, though this takes longer.

Requests Rejected Or Delayed

Occasionally, deletion requests get rejected without explanation. Common reasons include:

• Active payment disputes or chargebacks: HoYoverse won’t delete accounts with pending financial issues.
• Linked to a platform account with problems: If your PlayStation, Xbox, or mobile account has issues, it can block deletion.
• Account under investigation: If HoYoverse suspects fraud or ToS violations, deletion gets held.
• Regional restrictions: Some regions have different data retention rules that delay processing.

If your request is rejected, you’ll receive an email explaining why. Follow the instructions in that email. If it’s a payment issue, you may need to resolve that first. If it’s a platform link issue, unlinking that platform might solve it. For investigations, you’ll need to wait for resolution before proceeding.

Delayed requests (taking longer than 15 business days) warrant a support ticket. Include your UID, registration email, and the date you submitted your deletion request.

What Happens After Deletion

Timeline For Complete Account Removal

Deletion happens in stages. After you click the confirmation link in the email, the 7-to-15 day grace period begins. During this time, you can technically still log in and cancel deletion. Your account appears normal in the system but is marked for removal.

Once the grace period expires, HoYoverse removes your account from active servers. This process typically takes 24-48 hours. You won’t be able to log in anymore. But, they retain anonymized data (for fraud prevention and legal reasons) for much longer, sometimes years, depending on regional data laws.

After full removal, attempting to log in with your old credentials returns an error. You can create a new account using the same email address, usually within a few days of deletion. The exact timeline varies, so if you plan to start fresh, wait a few days before creating your new account to avoid conflicts.

Retrieving Your Account Before Final Deletion

What if you panic? During the grace period, you can stop the deletion. Log in to your account and navigate back to Account Settings. There should be an option like “Cancel Deletion” or “Restore Account.” Click it, and your account returns to normal status. All data remains intact, the deletion gets cancelled.

After the grace period ends, you cannot restore your account. This is why HoYoverse implements the waiting period. Once you hit that final deadline, there’s no recovery. So if you’re wavering or feeling impulsive, give yourself those 7-15 days to be absolutely certain.

Some players submit deletion requests but cancel them within the grace period when they realize how permanent it is. That’s fine, it’s exactly what the grace period is for.

Alternatives To Account Deletion

Taking A Break With Account Deactivation

If you’re burned out but think you might return someday, account deactivation is the safer choice. It temporarily locks your account while preserving all progress. During deactivation, your UID doesn’t show up in co-op lobbies, your account won’t appear in searches, and you can’t log in. But, everything remains stored on HoYoverse’s servers.

To deactivate, go to Account Settings and look for “Deactivate Account” (different from deletion). The process is similar: you’ll answer why, confirm your password, and receive a confirmation email. Once deactivated, you have a longer grace period, typically 30 days to 90 days, to reactivate without losing anything.

This approach works great for players who need to step away from gacha grind burnout, school/work pressure, or just want a fresh start without nuking everything. Plus, you avoid the “did I really want to delete” panic that some players experience.

Starting Fresh With A New Account

If you want to continue playing Genshin Impact but want a completely fresh experience, creating a new account might be better than deletion. You can run two accounts simultaneously on different platforms or devices, play on PC with one account and mobile with another, for example.

A new account lets you experience the early story, the rush of pulling your first 5-stars, and the satisfaction of progression all over again. Many long-term players create alts just for this reason. You keep your main account intact (in case you want to return), and you get the fresh experience you crave.

When creating a new account, use a different email address or link to a different social account. Make sure you understand Genshin Impact’s multi-accounting policy, while the game allows multiple accounts per person, account sharing and RMT (real money trading) are against ToS. As long as you’re playing legitimately, having multiple accounts is fine. This approach offers the best of both worlds: a clean slate without permanent loss.

Conclusion

Deleting your Genshin Impact account is a permanent decision that requires careful thought and proper execution. The process itself is straightforward, navigate to account settings, submit your request, confirm via email, and wait out the grace period. But the irreversibility demands that you’re absolutely sure.

Before you commit, explore the alternatives. Deactivation offers a reversible break. A new account provides a fresh start without permanent loss. Only choose deletion if you’re certain you won’t want your account back.

If you do proceed with deletion, follow the steps outlined above, document important information beforehand, and don’t panic during the grace period. Once it expires, your Genshin Impact account is truly gone, but at least you’ll know you made an informed choice. Whether you’re walking away for good or just resetting for a new adventure, understand your options and make the decision that’s right for you.