# How the Trash works

Before deleting an element, you move it to the Trash.

In the SMC Client, you can view and search for elements in the Trash. An administrator with unrestricted permissions (superuser) can search for elements in the Trash in all administrative Domains.

Before working with the Trash feature, review the following considerations:

- If you want to delete an administrator account, first disable the account. Then you can delete the disabled Administrator element in the Administration branch of the Configuration view.
- Domains cannot be moved to the Trash. You can only permanently delete Domains.
- An element in the Trash is still valid in any previous configuration where the element was used before it was moved to the Trash. However, you cannot add an element that is in the Trash to any new configuration.
- When you export and import elements that have been moved to the Trash, all references to the elements remain valid. An element that has been exported from the Trash remains in the Trash when imported to an environment with several Management Servers.
- You can also restore elements that have been moved to the Trash. An element in the Trash is permanently deleted only when you delete it from the Trash or when you empty the Trash.