---
description: "Delete a Trace (Transact-SQL)"
title: "Delete a Trace (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/06/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: "database-engine"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: 
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "traces [SQL Server], deleting"
  - "removing traces"
  - "deleting traces"
ms.assetid: a5502814-b281-42dd-b885-5c9368025ae6
author: "MashaMSFT"
ms.author: "mathoma"
---
# Delete a Trace (Transact-SQL)
 [!INCLUDE [SQL Server](../../includes/applies-to-version/sqlserver.md)]
  This topic describes how to use stored procedures to delete a trace.  
  
 For an example of using trace stored procedures, see [Create a Trace (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/sql-trace/create-a-trace-transact-sql.md).  
  
### To delete a trace  
  
1.  Execute **sp_trace_setstatus** by specifying `@status = 0` to stop the trace.  
  
2.  Execute **sp_trace_setstatus** by specifying `@status = 2` to close the trace and delete its information from the server.  
  
> [!NOTE]  
>  A trace must be stopped first before it can be closed.  
  
## See Also  
 [sp_trace_setstatus (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-trace-setstatus-transact-sql.md)   
 [System Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/system-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)   
 [SQL Server Profiler Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sql-server-profiler-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)