AI agents · OpenClaw · self-hosting · automation

Quick Answer

Manus Data Deletion: What to Do Before Aug 23, 2026

Published:

The Short Answer

Manus is not shutting down — but if you’re an affected user, data you generated on or after December 29, 2025 will be deleted on August 23-24, 2026 (Singapore time) as the company separates from Meta under a Beijing unwind order. Back up before 7:59 a.m. SGT on August 23, 2026, when the backup tool closes. Account restoration begins August 25.

What’s Happening, In Order

  1. December 29, 2025: Meta acquires Manus, the Chinese-founded AI agent startup, in a deal reported at over $2 billion.
  2. April 2026: China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) orders Meta to unwind the acquisition — an unprecedented block driven by national-security scrutiny of US investment in Chinese AI.
  3. Mid-2026: Meta cuts Manus off from its internal systems; the separation proceeds.
  4. August 2026: Manus notifies users (in-app and by email) that it is returning to independent operation — and that compliance requires deleting data generated during the Meta ownership period.
  5. August 23, 7:59 a.m. SGT: backup tool closes.
  6. August 23-24, 2026 (SGT): deletion of affected data.
  7. August 25, 2026: account restoration begins.

Who Is Affected

Users whose data was generated on or after December 29, 2025 (the acquisition date) under the covered arrangement. Manus is notifying affected users directly — if you’ve received the in-app notice or email, act before the deadline. Work created before the acquisition date isn’t in the deletion scope.

What to Do Now (Checklist)

  • Export everything you care about via the Manus backup tool before 7:59 a.m. SGT, August 23 (that’s 2:59 a.m. CEST / 7:59 p.m. ET Aug 22).
  • Save agent outputs, files, and session artifacts externally — treat the backup window as hard.
  • Re-check your email/app notices for account-specific scope details.
  • Plan for downtime August 23-25 if Manus agents are in your production workflows; restoration begins August 25.

The Bigger Picture

This is the tail end of one of 2026’s most consequential AI-geopolitics stories: a Chinese regulator forcibly unwinding a completed US acquisition of an AI startup. For agent users, the practical lesson is platform risk — agent history, memory, and artifacts should always have an export path. Background: Why China blocked the Meta-Manus deal and Meta unwinds the Manus acquisition.

Last verified: August 15, 2026.

Sources