idea Allow users to add attachments but not delete attachments (Update capability should not allow deletes) in ArcGIS Online Ideas

Allow users to add attachments but not delete attachments (Update capability should not allow deletes)

ChristopherCounsell — Fri, 19 May 2023 00:12:02 GMT

Users adding photos to existing point can delete previously collected attachments.

The ArcGIS REST API to add attachments requires the Update or Create ability:

https://developers.arcgis.com/rest/services-reference/enterprise/add-attachment.htm

We want our fieldworkers to maintain existing assets, not create new ones, so we enable Update.

But Delete Attachments is a feature update. It requires the Update capability:

https://developers.arcgis.com/rest/services-reference/enterprise/delete-attachments.htm

This makes zero sense from a data management perspective as we don't want users to delete collected data.

A workaround is to add photos to records in a related table (only 'Creating' records + attachments). But then they become nested, and as the attachments are not directly related to the parent geometry they can't be visualized in the parent table pop-up.

Enterprise equivalent idea:

https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-enterprise-ideas/prevent-users-from-deleting-attachments-if-they/idi-p/1209189

Re: Allow users to add attachments but not delete attachments (Update capability should not allow deletes)

TD1 — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 14:54:25 GMT

Agreed. This is still a problem. @ChristopherCounsell did you find a solution?

Re: Allow users to add attachments but not delete attachments (Update capability should not allow deletes)

g_maps — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:58:21 GMT

After creating the related table to store new records solely with attachments, I wonder if you would be able to bring those attachments into the parent pop-up using an arcade expression?

Re: Allow users to add attachments but not delete attachments (Update capability should not allow deletes)

ChristopherCounsell — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 21:01:44 GMT

I don't want to duplicate my photos or maintain two tables. I want users to
be able to update features without deleting attachments.

For example, a Task feature is created as a point. Is has attachments for
the job. Users need to update the Task status.

We can't expose the ability to update the status field without allowing the
user to also be able to delete attachments. So the staff could accidentally
or intentionally delete the attachments created on the job. There's no
recovery on ArcGIS Online.

It's not secure and non intuitive.

Re: Allow users to add attachments but not delete attachments (Update capability should not allow deletes)

TD1 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 21:17:41 GMT

@ChristopherCounsell yes 100% agreed. It's mind boggling how you can't get granular enough to restrict users from deleting things. Just need an option to leave attachments out of it.

Don't get me started about the no recovery in AGOL...

Re: Allow users to add attachments but not delete attachments (Update capability should not allow deletes)

TD1 — Thu, 21 May 2026 01:42:00 GMT

has this been fixed? ESRI what is the status?