This topic is applicable to local and network backups. For information about deleting online backups, refer to Removing data from Acronis Cloud.
When you want to delete backups and backup versions you no longer need, please do it by using the tools provided by Acronis True Image 2015.
Acronis True Image 2015 stores information on the backups in a metadata information database. Therefore, deleting unneeded backup files in Windows Explorer will not delete information about these backups from the database. This will result in errors when the program tries to perform operations on the backups that no longer exist.
To delete an entire backup:
In the Backup section, right-click a backup in the My backups list, and then click Delete.
Depending on a backup type, this command completely deletes the backup from its location or allows you to choose whether you want to delete the backup completely or the backup box only. When you delete a backup box only, the backup files remain in the location, and you will be able to add the backup to the list later. Note that if you delete a backup completely, the deletion cannot be undone.
To configure automatic cleanup rules for a backup:
Go to the Backup section.
Perform one of the following:
For a new backup, click Add backup, choose Create new backup, select backup source and destination, and then click Options.
For an existing backup, select the backup from the backup list, click Operations, choose Edit settings, and then click Options.
On the Backup scheme tab, select Custom scheme, select a backup method, and then click Turn on automatic cleanup.
Configure cleanup rules for the backup. Refer to Custom schemes for details.
In the Recovery section, click Refresh backups. This will update the backup list. If you cannot find the target backup in the list, or the backup is located on removable media, click Browse for backup, and provide the path to the backup.
Depending on type of the backup, go to the Disk backups or File backups tab.
Right-click the backup version that you want to delete, and then click Remove. The opened window displays the list of backup versions that will be deleted. See below why this list may contain more than one backup version.
To confirm the deletion, click Delete.
Why does Acronis True Image sometimes delete more than one backup version?
When you delete a backup version, please remember that this version may have dependent versions. In this case the dependent versions will be deleted as well, because data recovery from such versions becomes impossible.
If you delete a full backup version - the program will also delete all subsequent incremental and differential versions till the next full version.
If you delete an incremental backup version or a differential backup version - the program will also delete all subsequent incremental versions till the next full or differential version.