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# deactivateItem(_:replyHandler:)

Notifies the file system that the kernel is no longer making immediate use of the given item.

```
func deactivateItem(_ item: FSItem, replyHandler reply: @escaping @Sendable ((any Error)?) -> Void)
```

## Parameters

`item`

The item to deactivate.

`reply`

A block or closure to indicate success or failure. If deactivation fails, pass an error as the one parameter to the reply handler. If deactivation succeeds, pass `nil`. For an `async` Swift implementation, there’s no reply handler; simply throw an error or return normally.

## Discussion

This method gives a file system a chance to release resources associated with an item.
However, this method prescribes no specific action; it’s acceptable to defer all reclamation until `FSVolume/Operations/reclaimItem(_:)`.
This method is the equivalent of VFS’s `VNOP_INACTIVE`.

FSKit restricts calls to this method based on the current value of [`itemDeactivationPolicy`](/documentation/FSKit/FSVolume/ItemDeactivation/itemDeactivationPolicy).

---

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