Can't access repository while admin

[Guillaume Colas]

Hi, there,

I'm admin on my workspace. I've created 3 repo, and it seems I can't access a repos inside my workspace. I don't understand why. The problem is that I want to delete it. I'm workspace admin, and this repository stands out in the list (unused, undeletable).

[LynnG]

If you are a workspace admin but cannot open or delete one specific Bitbucket repository, there are two likely explanations: either your account does not have repository-level admin/owner access for that repo, or the repository is stuck/corrupted in Bitbucket Cloud.

1. First check repository permissions

Bitbucket’s deletion rule is specific: only the repository owner and repository admins can delete a repository. Deleting a repository permanently removes it from Bitbucket Cloud, and URLs pointing to it stop working. [support.at...assian.com]

Also, Bitbucket repository permissions define Admin access as the level that allows users to change repository settings, update permissions, and delete the repository. [support.at...assian.com]

So even if you are workspace admin, check whether you can access:

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Repository > Settings > Repository permissions

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If you cannot access repository settings at all, your workspace/admin role may not be applying to that repository as expected, or the repository may be in an abnormal state.

2. Try deleting from the normal UI path

If you can open the repo:

1. Go to the repository.
2. Select More actions (...) next to the repository name.
3. Select Settings.
4. Go to Repository details.
5. Open Manage repository.
6. Select Delete repository. [support.at...assian.com]

If the repo page does not load, or it shows unusual status/size, this may not be a permissions issue.

3. If the repo is visible but inaccessible, contact Bitbucket Support

There is an Atlassian Community case where repositories became stuck during creation/import and could not be loaded or deleted. An Atlassian team member stated that this was due to an existing bug in repository creation logic, and the affected repositories had to be deleted from the backend by Atlassian Support. [community....assian.com]

Given your description: “stands out in the list,” “unused,” and “undeletable,” this sounds similar.

What I would do

• Confirm you are logged in with the correct Atlassian account.
• Check whether other repositories in the same workspace can be opened and deleted.
• Try opening the problem repo directly from the repository list.
• If it fails to load or no settings are available, raise a Bitbucket Cloud support ticket and ask Atlassian to remove the stuck repository from the backend.

You can say something like:

I am a workspace admin. One repository appears in the workspace repository list but I cannot access or delete it. Other repositories work normally. Please check whether this repository is stuck in an unhealthy state and delete it from the backend if needed.