Enable and use object retention configurations

Overview

This page describes how to use the Object Retention Lock feature, including enabling it for a bucket and setting retention configurations for objects within the bucket.

Required roles

To get the permissions that you need to enable the Object Retention Lock feature for a bucket and set retention configurations on objects, ask your administrator to grant you the Storage Admin (roles/storage.admin) IAM role on the bucket or the project that contains the bucket. This predefined role contains the permissions required to set and manage retention configurations. To see the exact permissions that are required, expand the Required permissions section:

Required permissions

  • storage.buckets.create
  • storage.buckets.enableObjectRetention
  • storage.buckets.get
  • storage.buckets.list
    • This permission is only required if you plan on using the Google Cloud console to perform the instructions on this page.
  • storage.objects.get
  • storage.objects.list
    • This permission is only required if you plan on using the Google Cloud console to perform the instructions on this page.
  • storage.objects.overrideUnlockedRetention
    • This permission is only required if you plan on locking or shortening an existing retention configuration.
  • storage.objects.setRetention
  • storage.objects.update

You might also be able to get these permissions with custom roles.

For information about granting roles on buckets, see Set and manage IAM policies on buckets. For information about granting roles on projects, see Manage access to projects.

Enable object retentions for a bucket

Use the following instructions to allow retention configurations for objects in a bucket. If you want to enable object retention configurations for an existing bucket, you must follow the Google Cloud console instructions.

Console

To enable object retention configurations for a new bucket:

  1. Create a bucket as you normally would, and in the Choose how to protect object data step, select Retention (For compliance) followed by Enable object retention.

To enable object retention configurations for an existing bucket:

  1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the Cloud Storage Buckets page.

    Go to Buckets

  2. In the list of buckets, click the name of the bucket for which you want to enable object retentions.

  3. Select the Protection tab near the top of the page.

    The bucket's object retention status is displayed in the Object retention section.

  4. In the Object retention section, click Object Retention Not Enabled.

  5. In the dialog that appears, click Confirm.

Command line

Create a bucket as you normally would, and include the --enable-per-object-retention flag in the command.

Client libraries

C++

For more information, see the Cloud Storage C++ API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries. 

//! [create-bucket-with-object-retention]
namespace gcs = ::google::cloud::storage;
using ::google::cloud::StatusOr;
[](gcs::Client client, std::string const& bucket_name,
   std::string const& project_id) {
  auto bucket = client.CreateBucket(bucket_name, gcs::BucketMetadata{},
                                    gcs::EnableObjectRetention(true),
                                    gcs::OverrideDefaultProject(project_id));
  if (!bucket) throw std::move(bucket).status();

  if (!bucket->has_object_retention()) {
    throw std::runtime_error("missing object retention in new bucket");
  }
  std::cout << "Successfully created bucket " << bucket_name
            << " with object retention: " << bucket->object_retention()
            << "\n";
}
//! [create-bucket-with-object-retention]

C#

For more information, see the Cloud Storage C# API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries. 


using Google.Apis.Storage.v1.Data;
using Google.Cloud.Storage.V1;
using System;

public class CreateBucketWithObjectRetentionSample
{
    public Bucket CreateBucketWithObjectRetention(
        string projectId = "your-project-id",
        string bucketName = "your-unique-bucket-name")
    {
        var storage = StorageClient.Create();
        var bucket = storage.CreateBucket(projectId, bucketName, new CreateBucketOptions
        {
            ObjectRetentionEnabled = true
        });
        Console.WriteLine($"Created {bucketName}, with Object Retention enabled.");
        return bucket;
    }
}

Java

For more information, see the Cloud Storage Java API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries. 


import com.google.cloud.storage.Bucket;
import com.google.cloud.storage.BucketInfo;
import com.google.cloud.storage.Storage;
import com.google.cloud.storage.StorageOptions;

public class CreateBucketWithObjectRetention {
  public static void createBucketWithObjectRetention(String projectId, String bucketName) {
    // The ID of your GCP project
    // String projectId = "your-project-id";

    // The ID to give your GCS bucket
    // String bucketName = "your-unique-bucket-name";

    Storage storage = StorageOptions.newBuilder().setProjectId(projectId).build().getService();

    Bucket bucket =
        storage.create(
            BucketInfo.of(bucketName), Storage.BucketTargetOption.enableObjectRetention(true));

    System.out.println(
        "Created bucket "
            + bucket.getName()
            + " with object retention enabled setting: "
            + bucket.getObjectRetention().getMode().toString());
  }
}

Node.js

For more information, see the Cloud Storage Node.js API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries. 

/**
 * TODO(developer): Uncomment the following lines before running the sample.
 */
// The ID of your GCS bucket
// const bucketName = 'your-unique-bucket-name';

// Imports the Google Cloud client library
const {Storage} = require('@google-cloud/storage');

// Creates a client
// The bucket in the sample below will be created in the project associated with this client.
// For more information, please see https://cloud.google.com/docs/authentication/production or https://googleapis.dev/nodejs/storage/latest/Storage.html
const storage = new Storage();

async function createBucketWithObjectRetention() {
  const [bucket] = await storage.createBucket(bucketName, {
    enableObjectRetention: true,
  });

  console.log(
    `Created '${bucket.name}' with object retention enabled setting: ${bucket.metadata.objectRetention.mode}`
  );
}

createBucketWithObjectRetention().catch(console.error);

PHP

For more information, see the Cloud Storage PHP API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries. 

use Google\Cloud\Storage\StorageClient;

/**
 * Create a Cloud Storage bucket with the object retention enabled.
 *
 * @param string $bucketName The name of your Cloud Storage bucket.
 *        (e.g. 'my-bucket')
 */
function create_bucket_with_object_retention(string $bucketName): void
{
    $storage = new StorageClient();

    $bucket = $storage->createBucket($bucketName, [
        'enableObjectRetention' => true
    ]);
    printf(
        'Created bucket %s with object retention enabled setting: %s' . PHP_EOL,
        $bucketName,
        $bucket->info()['objectRetention']['mode']
    );
}

Python

For more information, see the Cloud Storage Python API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries. 

from google.cloud import storage


def create_bucket_object_retention(bucket_name):
    """Creates a bucket with object retention enabled."""
    # The ID of your GCS bucket
    # bucket_name = "your-bucket-name"

    storage_client = storage.Client()
    bucket = storage_client.create_bucket(bucket_name, enable_object_retention=True)

    print(f"Created bucket {bucket_name} with object retention enabled setting: {bucket.object_retention_mode}")

Rust

use google_cloud_storage::{client::StorageControl, model::Bucket, model::bucket::ObjectRetention};

pub async fn sample(
    client: &StorageControl,
    project_id: &str,
    bucket_id: &str,
) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
    let bucket = client
        .create_bucket()
        .set_parent("projects/_")
        .set_bucket_id(bucket_id)
        .set_bucket(
            Bucket::new()
                .set_project(format!("projects/{project_id}"))
                .set_object_retention(ObjectRetention::new().set_enabled(true)),
        )
        .send()
        .await?;
    println!("successfully created bucket {bucket:?}");
    Ok(())
}

REST APIs

JSON API

Create a bucket as you normally would, and include the query parameter enableObjectRetention=true as part of the request.

XML API

Create a bucket as you normally would, and include the header x-goog-bucket-object-lock-enabled: True as part of the request.

View a bucket's object retention status

To see if retention configurations can be set for objects in a bucket:

Console

  1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the Cloud Storage Buckets page.

    Go to Buckets

  2. Click the name of the bucket whose status you want to check.

  3. Click the Protection tab.

  4. The bucket's object retention status is displayed in the Object retention section.

Command line

Use the gcloud storage buckets describe command with the --format flag:

gcloud storage buckets describe gs://BUCKET_NAME --format="default(per_object_retention)"

Where BUCKET_NAME is the name of the bucket whose retention policy you want to view. For example, my-bucket.

If successful and a retention policy exists for the bucket, the response is similar to the following:

per_object_retention:
  mode: Enabled

If successful and a retention policy does not exist for the bucket, the response is similar to the following:

null

Client libraries

C++

For more information, see the Cloud Storage C++ API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries.

To view a bucket's object retention configuration, follow the instructions for displaying a bucket's metadata and look for the object retention field in the response. 
namespace gcs = ::google::cloud::storage;
using ::google::cloud::StatusOr;
[](gcs::Client client, std::string const& bucket_name) {
  StatusOr<gcs::BucketMetadata> bucket_metadata =
      client.GetBucketMetadata(bucket_name);
  if (!bucket_metadata) throw std::move(bucket_metadata).status();

  std::cout << "The metadata for bucket " << bucket_metadata->name() << " is "
            << *bucket_metadata << "\n";
}

C#

For more information, see the Cloud Storage C# API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries.

To view a bucket's object retention configuration, follow the instructions for displaying a bucket's metadata and look for the object retention field in the response. 

using Google.Apis.Storage.v1.Data;
using Google.Cloud.Storage.V1;
using System;

public class GetBucketMetadataSample
{
    public Bucket GetBucketMetadata(string bucketName = "your-unique-bucket-name")
    {
        var storage = StorageClient.Create();
        var bucket = storage.GetBucket(bucketName, new GetBucketOptions { Projection = Projection.Full });
        Console.WriteLine($"Bucket:\t{bucket.Name}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Acl:\t{bucket.Acl}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Billing:\t{bucket.Billing}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Cors:\t{bucket.Cors}");
        Console.WriteLine($"DefaultEventBasedHold:\t{bucket.DefaultEventBasedHold}");
        Console.WriteLine($"DefaultObjectAcl:\t{bucket.DefaultObjectAcl}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Encryption:\t{bucket.Encryption}");
        if (bucket.Encryption != null)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"KmsKeyName:\t{bucket.Encryption.DefaultKmsKeyName}");
        }
        Console.WriteLine($"Id:\t{bucket.Id}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Kind:\t{bucket.Kind}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Lifecycle:\t{bucket.Lifecycle}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Location:\t{bucket.Location}");
        Console.WriteLine($"LocationType:\t{bucket.LocationType}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Logging:\t{bucket.Logging}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Metageneration:\t{bucket.Metageneration}");
        Console.WriteLine($"ObjectRetention:\t{bucket.ObjectRetention}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Owner:\t{bucket.Owner}");
        Console.WriteLine($"ProjectNumber:\t{bucket.ProjectNumber}");
        Console.WriteLine($"RetentionPolicy:\t{bucket.RetentionPolicy}");
        Console.WriteLine($"SelfLink:\t{bucket.SelfLink}");
        Console.WriteLine($"StorageClass:\t{bucket.StorageClass}");
        Console.WriteLine($"TimeCreated:\t{bucket.TimeCreated}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Updated:\t{bucket.Updated}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Versioning:\t{bucket.Versioning}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Website:\t{bucket.Website}");
        Console.WriteLine($"TurboReplication:\t{bucket.Rpo}");
        if (bucket.Labels != null)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Labels:");
            foreach (var label in bucket.Labels)
            {
                Console.WriteLine($"{label.Key}:\t{label.Value}");
            }
        }
        return bucket;
    }
}

Java

For more information, see the Cloud Storage Java API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries.

To view a bucket's object retention configuration, follow the instructions for displaying a bucket's metadata and look for the object retention field in the response. 

import com.google.cloud.storage.Bucket;
import com.google.cloud.storage.BucketInfo;
import com.google.cloud.storage.Storage;
import com.google.cloud.storage.StorageOptions;
import java.util.Map;

public class GetBucketMetadata {
  public static void getBucketMetadata(String projectId, String bucketName) {
    // The ID of your GCP project
    // String projectId = "your-project-id";

    // The ID of your GCS bucket
    // String bucketName = "your-unique-bucket-name";

    Storage storage = StorageOptions.newBuilder().setProjectId(projectId).build().getService();

    // Select all fields. Fields can be selected individually e.g. Storage.BucketField.NAME
    Bucket bucket =
        storage.get(bucketName, Storage.BucketGetOption.fields(Storage.BucketField.values()));

    // Print bucket metadata
    System.out.println("BucketName: " + bucket.getName());
    System.out.println("DefaultEventBasedHold: " + bucket.getDefaultEventBasedHold());
    System.out.println("DefaultKmsKeyName: " + bucket.getDefaultKmsKeyName());
    System.out.println("Id: " + bucket.getGeneratedId());
    System.out.println("IndexPage: " + bucket.getIndexPage());
    System.out.println("Location: " + bucket.getLocation());
    System.out.println("LocationType: " + bucket.getLocationType());
    System.out.println("Metageneration: " + bucket.getMetageneration());
    System.out.println("NotFoundPage: " + bucket.getNotFoundPage());
    System.out.println("RetentionEffectiveTime: " + bucket.getRetentionEffectiveTime());
    System.out.println("RetentionPeriod: " + bucket.getRetentionPeriod());
    System.out.println("RetentionPolicyIsLocked: " + bucket.retentionPolicyIsLocked());
    System.out.println("RequesterPays: " + bucket.requesterPays());
    System.out.println("SelfLink: " + bucket.getSelfLink());
    System.out.println("StorageClass: " + bucket.getStorageClass().name());
    System.out.println("TimeCreated: " + bucket.getCreateTime());
    System.out.println("VersioningEnabled: " + bucket.versioningEnabled());
    System.out.println("ObjectRetention: " + bucket.getObjectRetention());
    if (bucket.getLabels() != null) {
      System.out.println("\n\n\nLabels:");
      for (Map.Entry<String, String> label : bucket.getLabels().entrySet()) {
        System.out.println(label.getKey() + "=" + label.getValue());
      }
    }
    if (bucket.getLifecycleRules() != null) {
      System.out.println("\n\n\nLifecycle Rules:");
      for (BucketInfo.LifecycleRule rule : bucket.getLifecycleRules()) {
        System.out.println(rule);
      }
    }
  }
}

Node.js

For more information, see the Cloud Storage Node.js API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries.

To view a bucket's object retention configuration, follow the instructions for displaying a bucket's metadata and look for the object retention field in the response. 
// Imports the Google Cloud client library
const {Storage} = require('@google-cloud/storage');

// Creates a client
const storage = new Storage();

async function getBucketMetadata() {
  /**
   * TODO(developer): Uncomment the following lines before running the sample.
   */
  // The ID of your GCS bucket
  // const bucketName = 'your-unique-bucket-name';

  // Get Bucket Metadata
  const [metadata] = await storage.bucket(bucketName).getMetadata();

  console.log(JSON.stringify(metadata, null, 2));
}

PHP

For more information, see the Cloud Storage PHP API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries.

To view a bucket's object retention configuration, follow the instructions for displaying a bucket's metadata and look for the object retention field in the response. 
use Google\Cloud\Storage\StorageClient;

/**
 * Get bucket metadata.
 *
 * @param string $bucketName The name of your Cloud Storage bucket.
 *        (e.g. 'my-bucket')
 */
function get_bucket_metadata(string $bucketName): void
{
    $storage = new StorageClient();
    $bucket = $storage->bucket($bucketName);
    $info = $bucket->info();

    printf('Bucket Metadata: %s' . PHP_EOL, print_r($info, true));
}

Python

For more information, see the Cloud Storage Python API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud Storage, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for client libraries.

To view a bucket's object retention configuration, follow the instructions for displaying a bucket's metadata and look for the object retention field in the response. 

from google.cloud import storage


def bucket_metadata(bucket_name):
    """Prints out a bucket's metadata."""
    # bucket_name = 'your-bucket-name'

    storage_client = storage.Client()
    bucket = storage_client.get_bucket(bucket_name)

    print(f"ID: {bucket.id}")
    print(f"Name: {bucket.name}")
    print(f"Storage Class: {bucket.storage_class}")
    print(f"Location: {bucket.location}")
    print(f"Location Type: {bucket.location_type}")
    print(f"Cors: {bucket.cors}")
    print(f"Default Event Based Hold: {bucket.default_event_based_hold}")
    print(f"Default KMS Key Name: {bucket.default_kms_key_name}