Clarity Session Replay: Built-in 30-Day Retention vs. Manual Export for GDPR Compliance

As of the current Microsoft Clarity release, Session Replay data is automatically deleted after 30 days, with no user-configurable retention extension in the UI. When a site upgrade disrupts the tracking script, no documented rollback or recovery mechanism exists, forcing a choice between accepting the fixed retention window or building a separate export workflow using the Clarity data export API.

The export API supports offline analysis, but session replay files require separate handling and are not integrated into retention settings. This creates a trade-off: built-in retention minimizes storage cost and aligns with GDPR data-minimization principles, while a manual export pipeline preserves data for post-upgrade debugging but increases operational overhead and compliance exposure.

Clarity documentation does not resolve whether retaining replay data beyond 30 days conflicts with GDPR data-minimization requirements, nor does it state whether session data is purged when a user deletes their account. Site owners should verify current retention and deletion behavior against the latest documentation before committing to either approach.

Which approach better balances GDPR compliance with post-upgrade investigation: accepting the fixed 30-day retention limit, or implementing a separate export workflow despite the lack of integration with retention settings? If manual export is selected, how should teams handle the separate processing required for session replay files? Does Clarity define deletion behavior for replay data when an associated user account is removed?