# Cancel a user deletion

`POST /v1/users/{user_id}:cancel-deletion` · permission `users:write`

Cancels a user deletion that is still in its grace period (self-service deletion). The user becomes `active` again, or `blocked` if a block is still open. If the user is not pending deletion, the call changes nothing and returns the user. The request takes no body.

## Request

| Parameter | In | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `user_id` | path | yes | User id, prefixed `usr_`. |

## Response

`200 OK`. The body is the user object. The `ETag` header carries the user version.

Personal data is masked when the key lacks the `users:read_pii` permission: `email` becomes `a***@e***.com`, `phone_number` keeps only its last 2 digits (`+**********67`), `name`, `given_name`, `family_name`, `middle_name` and `nickname` become initials (`A. L.`), `username` keeps only its first character (`a***`), `birthdate` becomes `****-**-**` and `address` becomes `{"redacted": true}`. `user_metadata` and `app_metadata` are not masked.

```json
{
  "id": "usr_0a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8j9k0m1n2p",
  "kind": "regular",
  "status": "active",
  "external_id": null,
  "username": null,
  "name": "Ada Lovelace",
  "email": "ada@example.com",
  "email_verified": true,
  "phone_number": null,
  "phone_verified": false,
  "user_metadata": {},
  "app_metadata": {},
  "created_via": "admin_api",
  "created_at": "2026-01-15T09:30:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-01-15T09:30:00Z",
  "last_sign_in_at": null,
  "deletion_requested_at": null,
  "deletion_due_at": null
}
```

## Errors

Every error is an `application/problem+json` body with a stable `code`.

| HTTP | `code` | When |
|---|---|---|
| 409 | `conflict` | The grace period has ended and the deletion is running; it can no longer be cancelled (`errors[].code` is `deletion_due`). |
| 404 | `not_found` | The user does not exist in this environment (or the id is malformed). |
| 401 | `unauthenticated` | The API key is missing, invalid or revoked. |
| 403 | `insufficient_permissions` | The key lacks the `users:write` permission. |
| 429 | `rate_limited` | The rate limit was exceeded; honor `Retry-After`. |
| 503 | `service_unavailable` | A dependency is temporarily unavailable; retry later. |

## Example

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.eu.keenauth.com/v1/users/usr_0a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8j9k0m1n2p:cancel-deletion \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEENAUTH_SECRET_KEY"
```

## Personal data

This endpoint carries personal data: end-user profile. [Personal data in the KeenAuth APIs](/docs/policies/personal-data) describes what is stored, how long it is kept and how it is deleted. Do not send special categories of personal data (health, biometric data, religion, political opinions, sexual orientation) in any field.