Implementing Force Deleting with Soft Deletes in Laravel.
Jul 15, 2025 am 12:21 AMTo forcefully delete soft delete records in Laravel, use the forceDelete() method. In Laravel, soft deletion is implemented through SoftDeletes trait. Calling delete() will set the deleted_at timestamp instead of actually deleting the record; if permanent deletion is required, forceDelete() must be used. When using it, you usually need to first obtain the soft deleted model instance through withTrashed(), and then call forceDelete(). In addition, forceDelete() does not trigger the regular deleted and deleted events, but the forceDeleted event will be triggered. When processing the associated model, you need to manually delete the relevant data or configure cascade deletion. Suitable for using forceDelete() in data without historical value, compliance requirements for deletion or maintenance tasks, avoiding use when audit logs are required or relies on recovery records.
When you're using soft deletes in Laravel, force deleting a record isn't as straightforward as just calling delete()
. Soft deletes mark a record as deleted without actually removing it from the database. But sometimes you really do need to remove that data permanently — maybe for cleanup, privacy compliance, or data integrity reasons.

Here's how to properly implement force deleting while still using soft deletes in Laravel.
How Soft Deletes Work in Laravel
Laravel's built-in SoftDeletes
trait adds a deleted_at
column to your table. When you call delete()
on a model that uses this trait, Laravel doesn't actually remove the row. Instead, it updates the deleted_at
timestamp. This is great for recovering data later, but not helpful if you want to fully delete something.

If you try to delete a soft-deleted model normally, nothing happens because Laravel assumes it's already deleted. To bypass this and truly remove the record from the database, you need to use forceDelete()
instead of delete()
.
Key point:
UseforceDelete()
to permanently remove a soft-deleted record from the database.![]()
Using forceDelete()
in Practice
You can call forceDelete()
directly on a model instance:
$user = User::withTrashed()->find(1); $user->forceDelete();
This will permanently delete the user with ID 1, even if they were already soft-deleted.
A few things to note:
- You usually need to use
withTrashed()
to retrieve models that have been soft-deleted. -
forceDelete()
does not trigger the regulardeleting
ordeleted
events, but it does triggerforceDeleted
.
If you're working with related models, make sure those relationships support force deleting too — especially if you're cascading delegations or cleaning up related data.
Handling Related Models During Force Delete
Force deleting a parent model won't automatically clean up its children unless you've set up cascading deletes or custom logic.
One approach is to manually delete related records before performing a force delete:
$user = User::withTrashed()->find(1); // Delete related posts first $user->posts()->forceDelete(); // Then delete the user $user->forceDelete();
Alternatively, you can define this behavior inside the model's boot method or use foreign key constraints with cascade options in your database schema.
Tip:
If you often need to force delete entire trees of related data, consider creating a dedicated service class or helper function to manage the cleanup.
When Should You Actually Use Force Delete?
Use force delete when:
- The data has no historical value.
- Compliance requires permanent deletion (eg, GDPR "right to be forgotten").
- You're doing maintenance tasks like clearing old test data.
Avoid force deletes if:
- You need to keep audit trails or history.
- Your app relies on restoring deleted records.
- Other parts of your system reference soft-deleted models.
Also, remember: once a record is force deleted, it's gone. There's no undo unless you've backed it up elsewhere.
So, implementing force delete with soft deletes in Laravel is pretty straightforward — just call forceDelete()
on a retrieved model. But knowing when and how to use it safely matters more than the code itself. Handle with care, especially around related data and compliance rules.
Basically that's it.
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