What Zendesk's terms say about your data

Who owns the data the customer puts in?

The customer · covers all Service Data (tickets, messages, attachments)

1. Headline Every plan covers all Service Data (tickets, messages, attachments)

   The customer

   As between the parties, Customer retains ownership of all Service Data.

   Zendesk Customer Agreement (formerly Main Services Agreement; zendesk.com/.../main-services-agreement/ redirects here) (terms), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   ZCA section 3.1. Next sentence: 'Customer instructs Zendesk to use Service Data to provide, secure, and improve Zendesk's products and services.' Service Data excludes Customer and Agent account information (Privacy Notice).

2. Supporting Every plan covers Service Data including AI input and output

   The customer

   Between the Parties, Customer is the sole owner of all Service Data which includes Customer AI Input and AI Output.

   AI Services Addendum (ai policy), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   AI Services Addendum section 3.1.

Does the vendor train AI on it?

Generative: no. Other models: opt-out · covers generative AI features (third-party LLMs); Service Data used for Zendesk's own machine learning models

1. Headline Every plan covers generative AI features (third-party LLMs)

   Generative: no

   Note: Zendesk offers features supported by third-party large language models (LLMs) that are generative in nature, but these features are not trained on Zendesk customer data.

   Zendesk AI Data Use Information (ai policy), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Zendesk's own models are classification and clustering models, not generative. Third-party LLM sub-processors 'cannot use your Service Data to train their models' (Generative AI at Zendesk); AI Services Addendum 3.1 limits LLM providers to providing and securing the AI Services.

2. Headline Every plan covers Service Data used for Zendesk's own machine learning models

   Other models: opt-out

   While most customers instruct Zendesk to train such functionality in order to improve the Services, Customer may opt out of research and model training by contacting Zendesk customer support and identifying the Zendesk subdomains that Customer wishes to be opted out.

   Supplemental terms: Zendesk's service-specific terms (terms), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Supplemental Terms, 'Zendesk AI'. On by default; opt-out is a support request per subdomain, not a setting. Fields designed for personal data and ticket attachments are excluded from training (Trust Center).

3. Supporting Every plan covers Service Data, generic cross-account models

   Other models: opt-out^*

   Zendesk uses Service Data to train its generic, cross-account machine learning models to be predictive and useful to multiple Zendesk customers.

   Zendesk Trust Center (Model Training and CCPA sections) (ai policy), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Trust Center, Model Training. The page states training happens; the opt-out part rests on the Supplemental Terms fact. Zendesk 'applies aggregation and sanitation processes, as necessary' first.

4. Detail Every plan covers Zendesk proprietary models

   Other models: opt-out

   These models may be trained on customer data to the extent instructed by the customer.

   AI Trust at Zendesk (ai policy), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   AI Trust at Zendesk, Proprietary Models. Its table says 'Customers control whether their data is used for model training' (proprietary) and 'Customer data is never used for model training' (LLM integrations).

5. Detail Every plan covers training by third-party LLM vendors

   Generative: no

   For any LLM vendors considered Zendesk's sub-processors, these vendors cannot use your Service Data to train their models.

   Generative AI at Zendesk (ai policy), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   LLMs hosted on AWS Bedrock, Azure, Groq or Fireworks AI never access Service Data; OpenAI, Gemini and ElevenLabs are used through zero data retention endpoints.

6. Detail Every plan covers data used for models shared across customers

   Other models: opt-out

   As part of our commitment to protecting customer data, we take additional measures to sanitize your data before using it to train any of our models that could be used by other customers.

   Zendesk AI Data Use Information (ai policy), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Identifier fields excluded, NLP removes some identifying text, data tokenized. For AI agents - Advanced (Ultimate), customers decide how the training set is sanitized.

Does the vendor keep a right to use it aggregated, de-identified or as usage data?

Reserved · covers agent personal data and Service Data (Zendesk Benchmark)

1. Headline Every plan covers agent personal data and Service Data (Zendesk Benchmark)

   Reserved

   Zendesk Benchmark aggregates and anonymizes the personal data of Customer's Agents and Service Data and publishes this information, segmented by industry, geography, and other metrics, in order to provide qualitative insight on customer support metrics and other relevant insights.

   Supplemental terms: Zendesk's service-specific terms (terms), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Supplemental Terms, 'Zendesk Benchmark': on by default, can be turned off in the product; Zendesk may also use it for its own marketing.

2. Supporting Every plan covers aggregated or anonymized usage information

   Reserved

   We may share aggregated and/or anonymized information regarding use of the Service(s), which is not considered personal information under the CCPA, with third parties to help us develop and improve the Services

   Zendesk Trust Center (Model Training and CCPA sections) (ai policy), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Trust Center, CCPA section; the sentence continues 'and provide our subscribers with more relevant content and service offerings as detailed in our subscriber agreements'.

3. Detail Every plan covers personal data under the Privacy Notice (account and site visitors, not Service Data)

   Reserved

   We may also de-identify, anonymize, or aggregate personal data to use or share with third parties for any purpose, where legally permitted.

   Privacy Notice (privacy policy), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Privacy Notice covers Zendesk's own processing (account holders, site visitors); Service Data is governed by the ZCA and DPA.

What can the customer export, and who can run it?

1. Headline Growth, Professional, Enterprise covers tickets (with comments), users, organizations

   Everything by the owner or an admin through an admin screen, a support request or the API, once the vendor approves

   The account owner must contact Zendesk Customer Support to enable data exports in the account.

   Exporting ticket, user, or organization data from your account (help article), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Export tools are for Suite Growth, Professional, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus and Support Professional, Enterprise (Admin Center > Account > Tools > Reports). Exports are off by default; once enabled, admins run them (can be restricted to certain admins). JSON includes comments; AI agent tickets cannot be exported.

2. Headline Team covers tickets, users, organizations via the REST API

   Everything by an admin through the API

   However, customers on all Zendesk plans can use the Zendesk REST API to export data.

   Exporting ticket, user, or organization data from your account (help article), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   The previous sentence: 'The exporting tools described in this article are not available on Team plans.' 'who' is our reading: API access needs an admin-created token; the article names no role. Endpoints: List Tickets, List Users, List Organizations, Incremental Exports.

3. Detail Every plan covers CSV ticket export

   Part of it by the owner or an admin through an admin screen, once the vendor approves

   The data does not include deleted tickets, ticket comments, or ticket descriptions.

   Exporting ticket, user, or organization data from your account (help article), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   CSV export only; use JSON (recommended above 200,000 tickets) or XML for full ticket content.

How much history does the plan keep?

All of it^* · covers tickets, including closed and archived tickets

1. Headline Every plan covers tickets, including closed and archived tickets

   All of it^*

   Archived tickets are still accessible and actionable.

   About ticket archiving (help article), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Reading: closed tickets are archived 120 days after closing (hidden from views, still searchable, in the API and incremental export), not deleted; deletion only happens through deletion schedules the customer creates. No plan page or help article states a history limit.

2. Supporting Every plan covers archived tickets

   All of it

   While archived tickets are still accessible, it's recommended that you delete them regularly.

   Creating ticket deletion schedules (help article), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Deletion schedules are available on every plan (one active schedule; up to 10 with the Advanced Data Privacy and Protection add-on) and delete only archived tickets.

3. Detail Every plan covers storage over the plan limit

   All of it

   Additional fees will apply if Customer exceeds applicable pricing metrics in the Order Form or the limits in the Storage Limits Policy.

   Zendesk Customer Agreement (formerly Main Services Agreement; zendesk.com/.../main-services-agreement/ redirects here) (terms), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   ZCA 4.2: going over the storage limit costs more; it does not delete data.

How long is data kept after the account ends, and can it still be exported?

30 days to export · covers all Service Data

1. Headline Every plan covers all Service Data

   30 days to export

   During and 30 days after the Subscription Term, Customer may export Service Data

   Zendesk Customer Agreement (formerly Main Services Agreement; zendesk.com/.../main-services-agreement/ redirects here) (terms), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   ZCA 3.4; the sentence continues 'except for Service Data that: (i) has been deleted according to the Documentation, including the Service Data Deletion Policy; (ii) was created in violation of this Agreement; or (iii) is legally restricted.' Team plans export through the API only.

2. Supporting Every plan covers personal data in Service Data

   30 days to export

   Upon Customer's written request, Zendesk will make Service Data available to Customer for export or download as provided in the Agreement.

   Data Processing Agreement (data processing addendum), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   DPA section 5; the next sentence: 'Zendesk will delete Service Data in accordance with Zendesk's Service Data Deletion Policy.'

3. Detail Every plan covers ticket data, users and attachments

   Kept 130 days, no export^*

   Unless otherwise noted below, ninety (90) days after your Account for one of the Services listed below is canceled or terminated

   Zendesk Service Data Deletion Policy (terms), read 2026-10-22 · link to this fact

   Deletion starts 90 days after cancellation, then ticket data, user data and attachments are deleted within 40 days (Live Chat and Messaging 120 days), so 130 days is our sum. export_window false rests on ZCA 3.4, which allows export only for 30 days. Unpurchased trials: deletion starts 9 months after the trial ends.

What the read couldn't settle

• Plans grouped: 'Team' = Support Team and Suite Team; 'Growth' = Suite Growth (Support has no Growth tier); 'Professional' = Support and Suite Professional; 'Enterprise' = Support and Suite Enterprise plus Enterprise Plus.
• No admin-screen toggle found for the proprietary-model training opt-out; Supplemental Terms route it through a support request. AI Trust at Zendesk says 'Customers control whether their data is used for model training' without naming the control.
• Retention 'keeps all' is a reading: no page states a plan history limit; closed tickets are archived (still accessible) after 120 days and only customer-made deletion schedules delete them. The 'Deleting tickets' article (30-day Deleted tickets view) was not fetched.
• Between day 30 (end of the ZCA 3.4 export window) and day 90 (deletion starts) the data still exists, but no document says the customer can reach it then.
• Help-article versions are the article 'edited_at' value in the page data, not a date printed in the static HTML; legal pages (ZCA, Supplemental Terms, Deletion Policy, Privacy) use the new-customer effective date shown on the page. DPA, AI Services Addendum and Trust Center show no date.
• zendesk.com/company/agreements-and-terms/data-processing-agreement/ returns 404; the live DPA is at zendesk.com/company/data-processing-agreement/ (linked from the ZCA definitions). Not listed as a separate document.
• Export of AI agent tickets: the export article says they cannot be exported from the admin screen; whether the API returns them was not checked.

Documents

17 of 17 read. Each fact above names the one it comes from.

1. Zendesk Customer Agreement (formerly Main Services Agreement; zendesk.com/.../main-services-agreement/ redirects here) Terms · version 2025-08-01 · read 2026-10-22
2. Data Processing Agreement Data processing addendum · read 2026-10-22
3. AI Services Addendum AI policy · read 2026-10-22
4. Supplemental terms: Zendesk's service-specific terms Terms · version 2026-06-23 · read 2026-10-22
5. Zendesk Service Data Deletion Policy Terms · version 2026-06-03 · read 2026-10-22
6. How We Protect Your Service Data (Enterprise Services) Terms · read 2026-10-22
7. How We Protect Your Service Data (Innovation Services) Terms · read 2026-10-22
8. Privacy Notice Privacy policy · version 2026-05-06 · read 2026-10-22
9. Zendesk Trust Center (Model Training and CCPA sections) AI policy · read 2026-10-22
10. AI Trust at Zendesk AI policy · version 2026-10-09 · read 2026-10-22
11. Zendesk AI Data Use Information AI policy · version 2025-07-07 · read 2026-10-22
12. Generative AI at Zendesk AI policy · version 2026-08-12 · read 2026-10-22
13. Exporting ticket, user, or organization data from your account Help article · version 2026-07-15 · read 2026-10-22
14. About ticket archiving Help article · version 2026-05-01 · read 2026-10-22
15. Creating ticket deletion schedules Help article · version 2026-05-01 · read 2026-10-22
16. Managing data storage in your Zendesk account (Storage Limits Policy) Help article · version 2026-09-24 · read 2026-10-22
17. Zendesk pricing Plans page · read 2026-10-22