> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.dropfans.io/developers/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# DELETE /api/external/vault/folders/{folderId} — Delete a vault folder

> Deletes a folder you own. **Non-empty folders are allowed**: the items inside are preserved and fall back to "All" (unfiled) — nothing is removed from storage. System folders (compliance archives) cannot be deleted.

- Source: https://www.dropfans.io/developers/reference/delete-folder
- Section: API reference
- OpenAPI: https://www.dropfans.io/developers/openapi.json

Deletes a folder you own. **Non-empty folders are allowed**: the items inside are preserved and fall back to "All" (unfiled) — nothing is removed from storage. System folders (compliance archives) cannot be deleted.

## Authentication

`Authorization: Bearer dpfn_...` — an API key generated in the creator's dashboard (Vault → API Connect). One key = one creator. Missing or invalid keys return 401 `{"error":"Unauthorized","code":"unauthorized"}`.

## Path parameters

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `folderId` | string | yes | The folder id. |

## Responses

### 200

Deleted; contained items are now unfiled.

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `success` | boolean | yes | Always true. |

```json
{
  "success": true
}
```

## Errors

| Status | Body | When |
|---|---|---|
| 400 | `{"error":"This folder is managed automatically and cannot be deleted."}` | The folder is a system folder. |
| 401 | `{"error":"Unauthorized","code":"unauthorized"}` | Missing or invalid API key. |
| 404 | `{"error":"Folder not found"}` | No such folder on this account. |
| 500 | `{"error":"Failed to delete vault folder"}` | Write failed — retry later. |

## Rate limiting

Per-key fixed windows by tier (Personal 60/min · 5,000/day; approved apps 300/min · 50,000/day; Dropfans-operated integrations exempt). Read the live values from X-RateLimit-Tier, X-RateLimit-Limit, X-RateLimit-Remaining, X-RateLimit-Reset and their -Day variants; a 429 carries Retry-After and `{"error":"Rate limit exceeded","code":"rate_limited"}`. See [Rate limits](https://www.dropfans.io/developers/concepts/rate-limits.md).

## Code samples

### curl

```bash
curl -X DELETE "https://www.dropfans.io/api/external/vault/folders/$FOLDER_ID" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DROPFANS_API_KEY"
```

### Node

```javascript
const folderId = '…'; // from an earlier response

const res = await fetch(`https://www.dropfans.io/api/external/vault/folders/${folderId}`, {
  method: 'DELETE',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.DROPFANS_API_KEY}`,
  },
});
console.log(await res.json());
```

### Python

```python
import os
import requests

folder_id = "…"  # from an earlier response

res = requests.delete(
    f"https://www.dropfans.io/api/external/vault/folders/{folder_id}",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['DROPFANS_API_KEY']}"},
)
print(res.json())
```

## OpenAPI

```json
{
  "method": "DELETE",
  "path": "/api/external/vault/folders/{folderId}",
  "operationId": "deleteFolder",
  "tags": [
    "vault"
  ],
  "summary": "Delete a vault folder",
  "description": "Deletes a folder you own. **Non-empty folders are allowed**: the items inside are preserved and fall back to \"All\" (unfiled) — nothing is removed from storage. System folders (compliance archives) cannot be deleted.",
  "parameters": [
    {
      "name": "folderId",
      "in": "path",
      "required": true,
      "description": "The folder id.",
      "schema": {
        "type": "string"
      },
      "example": "clxf0ld3r0001abcd"
    }
  ],
  "responses": {
    "200": {
      "description": "Deleted; contained items are now unfiled.",
      "headers": {
        "X-RateLimit-Tier": {
          "description": "Rate-limit tier of the key: personal, app or first_party (first_party is unlimited).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "personal",
              "app",
              "first_party"
            ]
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per minute for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current minute window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the minute window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit-Day": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per UTC day for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining-Day": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current UTC day window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset-Day": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the day window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        }
      },
      "content": {
        "application/json": {
          "schema": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "success": {
                "type": "boolean",
                "description": "Always true.",
                "example": true
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "success"
            ]
          },
          "example": {
            "success": true
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "400": {
      "description": "The folder is a system folder.",
      "headers": {
        "X-RateLimit-Tier": {
          "description": "Rate-limit tier of the key: personal, app or first_party (first_party is unlimited).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "personal",
              "app",
              "first_party"
            ]
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per minute for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current minute window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the minute window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit-Day": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per UTC day for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining-Day": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current UTC day window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset-Day": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the day window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        }
      },
      "content": {
        "application/json": {
          "schema": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "error": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "Human-readable message describing what went wrong.",
                "example": "Vault item not found"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "error"
            ]
          },
          "example": {
            "error": "This folder is managed automatically and cannot be deleted."
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "401": {
      "description": "Missing or invalid API key.",
      "headers": {
        "X-RateLimit-Tier": {
          "description": "Rate-limit tier of the key: personal, app or first_party (first_party is unlimited).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "personal",
              "app",
              "first_party"
            ]
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per minute for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current minute window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the minute window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit-Day": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per UTC day for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining-Day": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current UTC day window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset-Day": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the day window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        }
      },
      "content": {
        "application/json": {
          "schema": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "error": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "Human-readable message.",
                "example": "Rate limit exceeded"
              },
              "code": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "Machine-readable code: unauthorized, app_suspended, first_party_only, rate_limited, username_required.",
                "example": "rate_limited"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "error",
              "code"
            ]
          },
          "example": {
            "error": "Unauthorized",
            "code": "unauthorized"
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "403": {
      "description": "The app this key belongs to has been suspended by Dropfans. Every request fails with this until the app is reinstated — surface it to the creator and contact Dropfans.",
      "headers": {
        "X-RateLimit-Tier": {
          "description": "Rate-limit tier of the key: personal, app or first_party (first_party is unlimited).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "personal",
              "app",
              "first_party"
            ]
          }
        }
      },
      "content": {
        "application/json": {
          "schema": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "error": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "Human-readable message.",
                "example": "Rate limit exceeded"
              },
              "code": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "Machine-readable code: unauthorized, app_suspended, first_party_only, rate_limited, username_required.",
                "example": "rate_limited"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "error",
              "code"
            ]
          },
          "example": {
            "error": "This integration has been suspended by Dropfans. Contact the app developer.",
            "code": "app_suspended"
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "404": {
      "description": "No such folder on this account.",
      "headers": {
        "X-RateLimit-Tier": {
          "description": "Rate-limit tier of the key: personal, app or first_party (first_party is unlimited).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "personal",
              "app",
              "first_party"
            ]
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per minute for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current minute window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the minute window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit-Day": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per UTC day for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining-Day": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current UTC day window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset-Day": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the day window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        }
      },
      "content": {
        "application/json": {
          "schema": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "error": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "Human-readable message describing what went wrong.",
                "example": "Vault item not found"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "error"
            ]
          },
          "example": {
            "error": "Folder not found"
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "429": {
      "description": "Rate limit exceeded for the current minute or day window. Wait Retry-After seconds and retry.",
      "headers": {
        "X-RateLimit-Tier": {
          "description": "Rate-limit tier of the key: personal, app or first_party (first_party is unlimited).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "personal",
              "app",
              "first_party"
            ]
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per minute for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current minute window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the minute window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit-Day": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per UTC day for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining-Day": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current UTC day window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset-Day": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the day window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "Retry-After": {
          "description": "Seconds to wait before retrying (sent with 429s).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        }
      },
      "content": {
        "application/json": {
          "schema": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "error": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "Human-readable message.",
                "example": "Rate limit exceeded"
              },
              "code": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "Machine-readable code: unauthorized, app_suspended, first_party_only, rate_limited, username_required.",
                "example": "rate_limited"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "error",
              "code"
            ]
          },
          "example": {
            "error": "Rate limit exceeded",
            "code": "rate_limited"
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "500": {
      "description": "Write failed — retry later.",
      "headers": {
        "X-RateLimit-Tier": {
          "description": "Rate-limit tier of the key: personal, app or first_party (first_party is unlimited).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "string",
            "enum": [
              "personal",
              "app",
              "first_party"
            ]
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per minute for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current minute window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the minute window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Limit-Day": {
          "description": "Requests allowed per UTC day for this key (absent on first_party).",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Remaining-Day": {
          "description": "Requests left in the current UTC day window.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        },
        "X-RateLimit-Reset-Day": {
          "description": "Epoch seconds when the day window resets.",
          "schema": {
            "type": "integer"
          }
        }
      },
      "content": {
        "application/json": {
          "schema": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "error": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "Human-readable message describing what went wrong.",
                "example": "Vault item not found"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "error"
            ]
          },
          "example": {
            "error": "Failed to delete vault folder"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "x-codeSamples": [
    {
      "lang": "cURL",
      "label": "curl",
      "source": "curl -X DELETE \"https://www.dropfans.io/api/external/vault/folders/$FOLDER_ID\" \\\n  -H \"Authorization: Bearer $DROPFANS_API_KEY\""
    },
    {
      "lang": "JavaScript",
      "label": "Node",
      "source": "const folderId = '…'; // from an earlier response\n\nconst res = await fetch(`https://www.dropfans.io/api/external/vault/folders/${folderId}`, {\n  method: 'DELETE',\n  headers: {\n    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.DROPFANS_API_KEY}`,\n  },\n});\nconsole.log(await res.json());"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Python",
      "source": "import os\nimport requests\n\nfolder_id = \"…\"  # from an earlier response\n\nres = requests.delete(\n    f\"https://www.dropfans.io/api/external/vault/folders/{folder_id}\",\n    headers={\"Authorization\": f\"Bearer {os.environ['DROPFANS_API_KEY']}\"},\n)\nprint(res.json())"
    }
  ],
  "x-dropfans-docs": "https://www.dropfans.io/developers/reference/delete-folder"
}
```

---

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