deleteItemAsync

Learn secure deletion with deleteItemAsync.

deleteItemAsync

To delete a value from the secure store you use SecureStore.deleteItemAsync. The function takes one parameter: the key. If the key exists it deletes the value; if not, it does not error. The function is asynchronous so it is awaited.

Example: await SecureStore.deleteItemAsync('token'). This deletes the value of the 'token' key. It is used in the logout flow; when the user presses the 'Log out' button the token is deleted and the session does not persist on the next open. After deletion, reading with getItemAsync returns null. This confirms the session is closed.

Logout flow

Logout is the user's safe exit from the app. The flow consists of three steps: delete the token, clear the state, redirect the user to the login screen. You delete the token with await SecureStore.deleteItemAsync('token'); clear the user state with setUser(null); redirect to the login screen with navigation.replace('Login').

After deletion the token cannot be read with getItemAsync; so the session does not persist on the next open. State clearing makes the user info on the screen disappear immediately. The redirect makes the user return to the login screen. These three steps together form a safe logout.

Exercise Delete the token

Complete the clearToken function. Call await SecureStore.deleteItemAsync('token').

Show example solution

await SecureStore.deleteItemAsync('token');

Test yourself

Write the delete function

await SecureStore.____('token');

Show answer

await SecureStore.deleteItemAsync('token');

Match each step to its purpose

deleteItemAsync

Deletes the token
setUser(null)

Clears the state
navigation.replace

Redirects to login
getItemAsync

Deleted token returns null
What does getItemAsync return after deletion?
```
await SecureStore.deleteItemAsync('token');
const t = await SecureStore.getItemAsync('token');
```
- The old value
- null
- Throws an error
- Empty string
Show answer

null — After deletion getItemAsync returns null.

Next lesson: Token storage

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