How to Restore a Deleted Contact Record When a Duplicate Exists in HubSpot

When attempting to restore a deleted contact record in HubSpot, you may encounter an issue where the restore is unsuccessful. This typically happens when a new contact has already been created using the same email address.

This article outlines how to handle this situation and restore the original record correctly.

Why This Happens

When a contact is deleted in HubSpot, it moves to the Recycle Bin and can be restored within 90 days.

However, if a new contact has been created using the same email address, HubSpot won’t allow the original record to be restored, because a contact with that unique identifier (email address) already exists.

The restore attempt will appear to work but the original contact will not be reinstated.

How to Restore the Original Contact

Follow these steps to successfully restore the correct/original contact record:

Step 1: Identify the New Contact Record

• Find the new (recently created) contact record that is using the same email address as the deleted one.

• Open this contact.

Step 2: Remove the Email Address from the New Record

• In the new record, delete the email address.

• Save the record.

This step frees up the email address so that the deleted/original contact can be restored.

Step 3: Restore the Original Contact

• Go to your Recycle Bin:
  Contacts > Actions > Restore records

• Select the deleted contact record you want to restore.

• Click Restore.

Step 4: Confirm the Restoration

• Once restored, the original contact will now appear again in your contact list with the correct email.

 What to Do Next

After restoring the correct record, you have two options for the new (duplicate) contact:

1. Delete the duplicate record if it contains no useful history or engagement.

2. Merge the two records if both contain useful information.

Recommendation:
We suggest merging the duplicate into the original, especially if the duplicate record contains recent communication, notes, or timeline activity. This ensures all data is consolidated in one place.

Example Use Case

In one case, a contact named Keren Den was mistakenly deleted. A new record was later created using the same email address. To restore the original:

• The email address was removed from the new record.

• The original record was restored via the Recycle Bin.

• After restoration, the team could decide whether to delete or merge the new record.

Notes for Team Collaboration

• When doing this process, leave a comment or note on both the restored and new contact record to indicate the action taken.

• Share links to both records (new and restored) to help your team decide whether to merge or delete.