---
title: "Usage"
manual: "Delete Hidden"
version: "main"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/mfd/delete_hidden:usage@main"
source: "Usage/Index.rst"
rendered: "2026-10-07T14:03:07+00:00"
---

# Usage {#usage}

## CLI command {#cli-command}

The extension registers a Symfony Console command:

```php
# Preview candidates without deleting (dry run)
typo3 delete_hidden:cleanup --days=90 --dry-run

# Delete hidden content older than 30 days
typo3 delete_hidden:cleanup --days=30

# Scope to a specific page subtree
typo3 delete_hidden:cleanup --days=90 --page=42

# Override the default safety cap of 500
typo3 delete_hidden:cleanup --days=90 --limit=1000

# Verbose output — shows a table of deleted records
typo3 delete_hidden:cleanup --days=90 -v

```

In `--dry-run` mode, the command lists every candidate in a table (UID,
PID, CType, title, age in days, and container parent UID) plus a summary
grouped by page, without performing any deletions.

### Options {#options}

-   **Option**

    `--days`

-   **Default**

    `90`

-   **Description**

    Minimum age in days for a record to be a candidate.

-   **Option**

    `--dry-run`

-   **Default**

    —

-   **Description**

    List candidates without performing any deletions.

-   **Option**

    `--page`

-   **Default**

    `0` (all pages)

-   **Description**

    Restrict to a page subtree by UID.

-   **Option**

    `--limit`

-   **Default**

    `500`

-   **Description**

    Safety cap — aborts before any deletion when the candidate count
    exceeds this value.

### Exit codes {#exit-codes}

-   **Code**

    `0`

-   **Meaning**

    Success

-   **Code**

    `1`

-   **Meaning**

    Validation error, safety cap exceeded, or DataHandler error

## Scheduler task {#scheduler-task}

The extension registers a TYPO3 Scheduler task named
**"Delete Hidden Content Elements"**.

1.  Navigate to **System > Scheduler** in the TYPO3 backend.
1.  Add a new task and select **Delete Hidden Content Elements** from the
    class dropdown.
1.  Configure the fields:

    -   **Days** — minimum age in days for a record to be a candidate
        (default: 90)
    -   **Limit** — maximum records per run (default: 500)
1.  Set the frequency and save.

The Scheduler task always executes (there is no dry-run mode for it). If
the candidate count exceeds the limit, only the first N records are
processed in that run; the remainder is handled by subsequent runs.