How to Delete Your SoundCloud Account Permanently
SoundCloud makes it easy to upload tracks, follow artists, and build playlists — but when it's time to leave the platform, the deletion process isn't exactly front and center. Whether you're cleaning up old accounts, switching platforms, or just done with the service, here's exactly what you need to know before you pull the trigger.
What Happens When You Delete a SoundCloud Account
Before walking through the steps, it's worth understanding what account deletion actually means on SoundCloud.
Deleting your account is permanent. Once confirmed, SoundCloud removes your profile, uploaded tracks, playlists, followers, likes, comments, and any associated data. There is no recovery window — unlike some platforms that hold your data for 30 days — so anything you want to keep needs to be saved beforehand.
If you have a SoundCloud Pro or Pro Unlimited subscription, deletion does not automatically cancel your billing. You'll need to cancel your subscription separately through the App Store, Google Play, or your SoundCloud billing settings before deleting the account, or you risk continued charges even after your profile is gone.
How to Delete a SoundCloud Account on Desktop 🖥️
SoundCloud account deletion is only available through a web browser — you cannot fully delete your account from within the mobile app itself.
- Go to soundcloud.com and log in to the account you want to delete.
- Click your profile avatar in the top-right corner and select Settings.
- Scroll to the bottom of the Account settings page.
- Look for the "Delete Account" option, usually listed under a section labeled something like "Danger Zone" or simply at the page's end.
- SoundCloud will ask you to confirm your decision and may prompt you to enter your password.
- Follow the on-screen confirmation steps. Once submitted, the deletion process begins.
SoundCloud may take up to 30 days to fully purge your data from their servers, though your public profile and content will typically disappear much sooner.
How to Delete a SoundCloud Account via Mobile
On iOS or Android, the SoundCloud app does not offer a native account deletion flow — a common limitation across many streaming platforms. Your options on mobile are:
- Use a mobile browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox) to navigate to soundcloud.com and follow the same desktop steps above. The mobile web experience supports account deletion even if the app does not.
- Request deletion through SoundCloud support if you run into issues accessing the settings page on your device.
This distinction matters if you've only ever used SoundCloud through the app and aren't familiar with the web interface.
Before You Delete: Things Worth Doing First
Rushing the deletion can mean losing things you didn't intend to lose. A few steps worth taking beforehand:
- Download your tracks. Go to your profile, open each track, and use the download option if enabled. SoundCloud doesn't provide a bulk export tool for all uploaded audio by default.
- Save your playlists. Note down or screenshot any playlists or liked tracks you want to reference on another platform.
- Cancel subscriptions first. If you subscribed through the App Store or Google Play, cancel through those platforms directly — not just through SoundCloud — to stop future billing.
- Disconnect third-party apps. Any apps authorized through SoundCloud (via OAuth) will lose access, but it's cleaner to revoke those permissions first under Settings > Applications.
Variables That Affect the Process 🔄
Not every SoundCloud user will have an identical experience with deletion. Several factors can change what you encounter:
| Variable | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Account type (Free vs. Pro) | Pro users must handle billing cancellation separately |
| Sign-up method | Accounts created via Google or Apple sign-in may have additional steps |
| Active subscriptions | Cancellation through the App Store follows Apple/Google's own flow |
| Uploaded content | Tracks with high engagement (reposts, embeds) may still appear cached elsewhere temporarily |
| Device/browser | Older browsers may not render the settings page correctly |
If you originally signed up using Google or Facebook authentication rather than an email/password combo, you'll still need to go through the web interface, but there may be an extra verification step since no SoundCloud-specific password exists on the account.
What Happens to Your Content After Deletion
Uploaded tracks that have been embedded on external websites may continue to appear as broken players after your account is deleted — the embed code will simply stop working, but it won't instantly disappear from third-party sites. If you licensed or distributed music through SoundCloud's distribution tools, check those agreements separately; deleting your account doesn't automatically retract distributed releases from other platforms.
Comments you left on other users' tracks are also removed, which means conversations you participated in elsewhere on the platform will show gaps.
The Part That Depends on You
Whether now is the right time to delete — and whether deletion is the right move at all versus simply deactivating activity, going private, or switching to a free tier — depends entirely on what you originally used SoundCloud for and what you're trying to accomplish by leaving. Someone who used it casually to share demos has a very different situation than someone whose tracks are embedded across dozens of external sites or whose account is tied to a label distribution agreement.
The mechanics of deletion are straightforward. What's worth pausing on is everything attached to your specific account before you confirm. 🎧