Why a deleted review can still be in the export
A public profile and an account export are different views of the same account. Removing a review from your profile changes what visitors see. It does not, by itself, tell you what the export contains.
Letterboxd offers an account export in Settings. Source
The account export is a ZIP containing CSV documents. Source
The official export description includes deleted content and reviews for deleted films. Source
The approved description covers deleted content and reviews for deleted films. It does not document every field the CSVs may contain, and it does not describe any way to restore deleted material. Do not assume either. Read what you actually receive rather than what you expect.
Before you open the files
- Confirm the account. Check that you are signed in to the Letterboxd account you mean to archive. If you manage more than one account, note which profile the export should reflect before you request it.
- Request the export from Settings, following the option Letterboxd presents there. Do not rely on a remembered path from an older version of the site.
- Store the ZIP somewhere private. A personal device or a private folder you control is enough. Avoid shared drives, public repositories and chat attachments.
- Do not upload the archive to a converter, viewer or AI tool just to read it. The CSVs can be opened locally.
Inspect the CSVs locally
Open the ZIP on your own machine and extract it to a private folder. The archive is a set of CSV documents, so a spreadsheet application is the simplest way to read them.
| Check | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| File list | Note each CSV filename before opening any of them | Tells you what categories of data the export actually contains |
| Row count | Compare the number of rows with what you expect from your profile | Large gaps or surprises deserve a second look, not a conclusion |
| Review text | Search the review columns for titles you removed from your profile | Shows whether a removed review is still present in the archive |
| Deleted films | Look for entries tied to films that no longer appear on the site | The official description says these are included |
| Blank or partial rows | Record them instead of editing them away | Keeps your archive an accurate record |
Keep the original ZIP unchanged. If you want to annotate, work on a copy so you can always return to the file as received.
What the export does not settle
- It is not proof of deletion or retention elsewhere. Finding a review in the CSV shows the export includes it. It does not tell you what the platform stores internally or for how long.
- It is not a restoration tool. Nothing in the approved description says deleted reviews can be brought back from the export.
- It is not a complete map of your online identity. The archive covers one account on one service. Other accounts under the same or similar names are a separate question.
A short acceptance checklist
- The export came from the account I intended to archive.
- The ZIP is stored in a private location I control.
- I extracted it locally and did not upload it anywhere.
- I listed the CSV files and noted what each appears to cover.
- I searched for reviews I removed from my public profile and recorded what I found.
- I noted any fields or gaps the official description does not explain, without guessing.
- I kept an untouched copy of the original archive.
- I decided what, if anything, to do next based on what the files show.
Deciding what to do with the result
| What you find | A reasonable next step |
|---|---|
| Removed reviews are absent from the export | Record the date and the files you checked. Keep the archive private. |
| Removed reviews are still present | Decide whether that matters to you. The export itself does not offer a documented way to change it. |
| The export contains fields you did not expect | Note them and avoid sharing the file while you decide how to handle them. |
| The export will not open or looks incomplete | Re-request it from Settings and check the download again before drawing conclusions. |
If the same name appears on other services
An export answers a question about one account. It does not tell you where else a name is used. If that is the next thing you want to check, the related guide on finding accounts linked to a name walks through that separate task. Public matches you find there are leads, not proof that the same person owns every profile.
The main point
Deleting a review from a public profile is a visibility change, not a guarantee about an archive. Request the export, confirm it is the right account, read the CSVs locally, and keep the files private. Then decide what the result means for you, using what the files actually show rather than what the interface implies.