🔍 Understanding the Two Separate Issues

If you cannot delete a Site Audit project, there are two distinct problems that can block you — and they require different solutions. Confusing them leads to wasted effort.

• OTTO pixel linkage (primary blocker): A Site Audit project tied to an OTTO pixel cannot be deleted until that pixel link is removed. This is true even if the OTTO session is inactive.
• 5-project cap (secondary constraint): Your plan limits you to five active Site Audit projects. Deep Freeze can help preserve projects without counting against this cap — but only after the OTTO linkage is resolved. Deep Freeze does not remove pixel linkage and will not unblock deletion on its own.

If your projects named canary, armbarmarketing, or any other project refuse to delete, resolve the OTTO linkage first using the steps below.

⚙️ Step 1 — Locate the Linked OTTO Pixel

1. In the left sidebar, click OTTO SEO and then open SEO Automation inside it (/seo-automation-v3).
2. Review all OTTO sessions listed, including inactive ones. An inactive session still holds its pixel link to the Site Audit project.
3. Identify the session whose pixel corresponds to the project you want to delete. The session name or connected domain will match the Site Audit project name.

🔓 Step 2 — Unlink or Delete the OTTO Pixel

You have two options depending on whether you want to keep the OTTO session or remove it entirely.

Option A — Delete the entire OTTO session (recommended if you no longer need it):

1. Inside OTTO SEO V3, locate the OTTO session linked to the project you want to remove.
2. Open the session settings or the three-dot menu next to the session.
3. Select Delete Session and confirm. This removes the pixel and severs the link to the Site Audit project.

Option B — Unlink the pixel while keeping the OTTO session:

1. Inside the OTTO session, navigate to the Pixel / Tracking settings section.
2. Find the pixel currently linked to the Site Audit project.
3. Select the option to Disconnect or Unlink the pixel from the project.
4. Save your changes.

After completing either option, the Site Audit project is no longer protected by the pixel link.

🗑️ Step 3 — Delete the Site Audit Project

1. In the left sidebar, go to Site Metrics → Site Explorer to open the projects list (/site-explorer/list).
2. Locate the project you want to remove (for example, canary or armbarmarketing).
3. Open the three-dot menu or settings icon next to the project.
4. Select Delete Project and confirm. The option should now be available because the OTTO pixel link has been removed.

📦 Step 4 (Optional) — Use Deep Freeze to Manage the 5-Project Cap

Once OTTO linkage is no longer blocking your projects, you can use Deep Freeze to stay within the 5-project cap without permanently deleting projects you want to keep.

• Deep Freeze preserves a project's existing data and pauses crawling so the project does not count as an active slot.
• Use this for projects you want to return to later rather than delete.
• Important: Deep Freeze does not resolve OTTO pixel linkage. Always unlink the pixel first if deletion is your goal.

✅ Quick Reference — Which Solution Fixes Which Problem

• Cannot delete a project → Unlink or delete the associated OTTO pixel (Steps 1–3 above).
• Hit the 5-project cap → Delete unwanted projects (after unlinking pixels) or Deep Freeze projects you want to keep.
• Deep Freeze alone → Does not unblock deletion. It only frees an active slot for projects that are not pixel-locked.

💬 Need More Help?

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.