How to delete completed tasks in Google Tasks

Question

I've lots of completed tasks in Google Tasks since using it for couple of years. And I wonder how to clear the competed tasks list. Regarding this Google Groups discussion, which is closed due to inactivity, it's not possible.

But I've found one solution: it's marking completed tasks as uncompleted and deleting them from list. It's ok for coupled of tasks, or maybe tens, but not for thousands.

Is there any way to permanently delete them, once and forever (except completely deleting the Google profile)?

PS: I've also fount out that it takes up to 1 month to delete those tasks from Google servers completely, which is quite some time.

Answer 1

Here is what I do:

1. reduce my remaining uncompleted task list as much as I can.
2. create a new task list with a very similar name
3. move the remaining uncompleted tasks to the new list
4. DELETE the old list. Google will warn you that the old list will be permanently deleted. Say yes. Done.

Answer 2

https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/106237?hl=en

The short of it is go to Actions under Tasks then select Clear Completed Tasks. Unfortunately as Google states in the link up above this just hides them, but unless you select to view them again, they're out of sight. There is no bulk delete or delete upon completion setting. Only deleting 1 task at a time. Why???? That question you have to take up with Google.

Answer 3

To mark all completed tasks as uncomplete, I wrote this little snippet in some spare time today, which you can run in the browser console (F12) of a modern browser, when the "completed tasks" list is open in Gmail. If it doesn't work, let me know, but it worked for me.

var checkboxes = document.getElementById('tasksiframe').contentWindow.document
  .querySelectorAll('.DH');
var event = document.createEvent('MouseEvents'); 
event.initEvent('click', true, true);
for (var i = 0, l = checkboxes.length; i < l; i++) { 
  checkboxes[i].dispatchEvent(event, true); 
}

Then you should switch back to the task list, select the first one (if not already selected) and hold backspace as long as all tasks are gone. I may post a snippet for that too if its necessary. Otherwise put a weight on that key and go drink a coffee. ;-)

Answer 4

Here's a python script I've written to properly delete completed tasks: https://github.com/jamespo/gtaskcleanup

Be careful, no warranty is included, if it deletes all your tasks don't blame me!