diff --git a/app/Console/Commands/PruneAudit.php b/app/Console/Commands/PruneAudit.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b64351
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Console/Commands/PruneAudit.php
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Console\Commands;
+
+use App\Models\AuditEvent;
+use App\Models\Setting;
+use Illuminate\Console\Command;
+
+/**
+ * Enforce the audit-log retention policy: delete audit_events older than the
+ * configured number of days. The policy lives in the `audit_retention_days`
+ * setting (managed from the Audit page); empty or 0 means "keep forever".
+ *
+ * Scheduled daily in routes/console.php.
+ */
+class PruneAudit extends Command
+{
+    protected $signature = 'clusev:prune-audit';
+
+    protected $description = 'Prune audit_events older than the configured retention window';
+
+    public function handle(): int
+    {
+        $days = (int) Setting::get('audit_retention_days', '0');
+
+        if ($days <= 0) {
+            $this->info('Aufbewahrung unbegrenzt — nichts zu tun');
+
+            return self::SUCCESS;
+        }
+
+        $deleted = AuditEvent::where('created_at', '<', now()->subDays($days))->delete();
+
+        $this->info("Aufbewahrung {$days} Tage — {$deleted} Audit-Einträge gelöscht");
+
+        return self::SUCCESS;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Livewire/Audit/Index.php b/app/Livewire/Audit/Index.php
index bd7e8f4..51ff6ef 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Audit/Index.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Audit/Index.php
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 namespace App\Livewire\Audit;
 
 use App\Models\AuditEvent;
+use App\Models\Setting;
 use Illuminate\Support\Collection;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
 use Livewire\Attributes\Layout;
 use Livewire\Component;
 
@@ -13,6 +15,52 @@ class Index extends Component
     /** Freitext-Filter über Akteur / Aktion / Ziel / Server. */
     public string $q = '';
 
+    /**
+     * Aufbewahrungsdauer in Tagen (Formularfeld). Leer/0 = unbegrenzt; ein
+     * positiver Wert N löscht beim täglichen Prune Einträge älter als N Tage.
+     */
+    public ?string $retentionDays = null;
+
+    public function mount(): void
+    {
+        // Empty/0 means "keep forever" — surface that as a blank field, not "0".
+        $stored = (int) Setting::get('audit_retention_days', '0');
+        $this->retentionDays = $stored > 0 ? (string) $stored : null;
+    }
+
+    /** Persist the retention policy, audit the change and notify the operator. */
+    public function saveRetention(): void
+    {
+        $validated = $this->validate([
+            'retentionDays' => ['nullable', 'integer', 'min:1', 'max:3650'],
+        ]);
+
+        $days = $validated['retentionDays'] !== null && $validated['retentionDays'] !== ''
+            ? (int) $validated['retentionDays']
+            : 0;
+
+        Setting::put('audit_retention_days', $days > 0 ? (string) $days : null);
+        $this->retentionDays = $days > 0 ? (string) $days : null;
+
+        AuditEvent::create([
+            'user_id' => Auth::id(),
+            'actor' => Auth::user()?->name ?? 'system',
+            'action' => 'audit.retention_set',
+            'target' => 'audit_retention_days='.$days,
+            'ip' => request()->ip(),
+        ]);
+
+        $this->dispatch('notify', message: __('audit.retention_saved_notify'));
+    }
+
+    /** Effective retention in days (0 = unlimited) for the policy summary. */
+    protected function retentionPolicy(): int
+    {
+        return $this->retentionDays !== null && $this->retentionDays !== ''
+            ? (int) $this->retentionDays
+            : 0;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Letzte Audit-Ereignisse, optional gefiltert. Echte Daten aus der DB;
      * die Filterung läuft im Speicher über die geladenen 50 Einträge.
@@ -45,6 +93,7 @@ class Index extends Component
     {
         return view('livewire.audit.index', [
             'events' => $this->events(),
+            'retentionPolicy' => $this->retentionPolicy(),
         ])->title(__('audit.title'));
     }
 }
diff --git a/lang/de/audit.php b/lang/de/audit.php
index e8f4cf3..1d57e3c 100644
--- a/lang/de/audit.php
+++ b/lang/de/audit.php
@@ -18,6 +18,16 @@ return [
     'empty_filtered' => 'Für „:query“ wurden keine Audit-Einträge gefunden.',
     'empty_none' => 'Es liegen noch keine Audit-Einträge vor.',
 
+    // Aufbewahrung (Retention)
+    'retention_title' => 'Aufbewahrung',
+    'retention_subtitle' => 'Audit-Log automatisch ausdünnen',
+    'retention_label' => 'Aufbewahrung',
+    'retention_unlimited' => 'unbegrenzt',
+    'retention_days' => ':count Tage',
+    'retention_save' => 'Speichern',
+    'retention_saved_notify' => 'Aufbewahrungsrichtlinie gespeichert.',
+    'retention_hint' => 'Anzahl der Tage (1–3650). Leer lassen für unbegrenzte Aufbewahrung. Ältere Einträge werden täglich gelöscht.',
+
     // Page title
     'title' => 'Audit-Log — Clusev',
 ];
diff --git a/lang/en/audit.php b/lang/en/audit.php
index 87b9735..9302954 100644
--- a/lang/en/audit.php
+++ b/lang/en/audit.php
@@ -18,6 +18,16 @@ return [
     'empty_filtered' => 'No audit entries found for “:query”.',
     'empty_none' => 'There are no audit entries yet.',
 
+    // Retention
+    'retention_title' => 'Retention',
+    'retention_subtitle' => 'Automatically prune the audit log',
+    'retention_label' => 'Retention',
+    'retention_unlimited' => 'unlimited',
+    'retention_days' => ':count days',
+    'retention_save' => 'Save',
+    'retention_saved_notify' => 'Retention policy saved.',
+    'retention_hint' => 'Number of days (1–3650). Leave empty to keep entries forever. Older entries are deleted daily.',
+
     // Page title
     'title' => 'Audit log — Clusev',
 ];
diff --git a/resources/views/livewire/audit/index.blade.php b/resources/views/livewire/audit/index.blade.php
index a14e93b..8c8138d 100644
--- a/resources/views/livewire/audit/index.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/livewire/audit/index.blade.php
@@ -8,6 +8,46 @@
         <x-status-pill status="online">{{ __('audit.event_count', ['count' => $events->count()]) }}</x-status-pill>
     </div>
 
+    {{-- Aufbewahrung (Retention) --}}
+    <x-panel :title="__('audit.retention_title')" :subtitle="__('audit.retention_subtitle')">
+        <div class="space-y-3">
+            {{-- Aktuelle Richtlinie --}}
+            <div class="flex items-start gap-3 rounded-md border border-line bg-raised/40 p-3">
+                <x-icon name="shield" class="mt-0.5 h-4 w-4 shrink-0 text-accent-text" />
+                <div class="min-w-0">
+                    <p class="text-sm text-ink">
+                        {{ __('audit.retention_label') }}
+                        <span class="font-mono text-accent-text">
+                            @if ($retentionPolicy > 0)
+                                {{ __('audit.retention_days', ['count' => $retentionPolicy]) }}
+                            @else
+                                {{ __('audit.retention_unlimited') }}
+                            @endif
+                        </span>
+                    </p>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+
+            {{-- Eingabe + Speichern --}}
+            <div>
+                <label for="retentionDays" class="mb-1 block text-sm text-ink-2">{{ __('audit.retention_label') }}</label>
+                <div class="flex flex-col gap-2 sm:flex-row">
+                    <input wire:model="retentionDays" id="retentionDays" type="text" inputmode="numeric"
+                           autocomplete="off" autocapitalize="off" spellcheck="false"
+                           placeholder="{{ __('audit.retention_unlimited') }}"
+                           class="h-9 w-full rounded-md border border-line bg-inset px-3 font-mono text-sm text-ink placeholder:text-ink-4 focus:border-accent/40 focus:outline-none sm:max-w-[12rem]" />
+                    <x-btn variant="secondary" wire:click="saveRetention" wire:loading.attr="disabled" class="shrink-0">
+                        <x-icon name="save" class="h-3.5 w-3.5" /> {{ __('audit.retention_save') }}
+                    </x-btn>
+                </div>
+                @error('retentionDays')
+                    <p class="mt-1.5 font-mono text-[11px] text-offline">{{ $message }}</p>
+                @enderror
+                <p class="mt-1.5 font-mono text-[11px] leading-relaxed text-ink-4">{{ __('audit.retention_hint') }}</p>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+    </x-panel>
+
     {{-- Ereignisliste --}}
     <x-panel :title="__('audit.panel_title')" :subtitle="__('audit.panel_subtitle')" :padded="false">
         <x-slot:actions>
diff --git a/routes/console.php b/routes/console.php
index 3c9adf1..1122c93 100644
--- a/routes/console.php
+++ b/routes/console.php
@@ -2,7 +2,13 @@
 
 use Illuminate\Foundation\Inspiring;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Artisan;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schedule;
 
 Artisan::command('inspire', function () {
     $this->comment(Inspiring::quote());
 })->purpose('Display an inspiring quote');
+
+// Enforce the audit-log retention policy daily. The command is a no-op when
+// `audit_retention_days` is empty/0 (keep forever); otherwise it deletes
+// audit_events older than the configured number of days.
+Schedule::command('clusev:prune-audit')->daily();
diff --git a/tests/Feature/AuditRetentionTest.php b/tests/Feature/AuditRetentionTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..901a571
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/AuditRetentionTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Tests\Feature;
+
+use App\Livewire\Audit\Index;
+use App\Models\AuditEvent;
+use App\Models\Setting;
+use App\Models\User;
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
+use Illuminate\Support\Carbon;
+use Livewire\Livewire;
+use Tests\TestCase;
+
+class AuditRetentionTest extends TestCase
+{
+    use RefreshDatabase;
+
+    /** Seed an audit_events row with an explicit created_at timestamp. */
+    private function seedEvent(Carbon $createdAt, string $action = 'test.event'): AuditEvent
+    {
+        return AuditEvent::forceCreate([
+            'actor' => 'tester',
+            'action' => $action,
+            'target' => null,
+            'ip' => '127.0.0.1',
+            'created_at' => $createdAt,
+            'updated_at' => $createdAt,
+        ]);
+    }
+
+    public function test_prune_deletes_events_older_than_retention_and_keeps_newer(): void
+    {
+        Setting::put('audit_retention_days', '30');
+
+        $old = $this->seedEvent(now()->subDays(45), 'old.event');
+        $recent = $this->seedEvent(now()->subDays(5), 'recent.event');
+
+        $this->artisan('clusev:prune-audit')->assertExitCode(0);
+
+        $this->assertDatabaseMissing('audit_events', ['id' => $old->id]);
+        $this->assertDatabaseHas('audit_events', ['id' => $recent->id]);
+    }
+
+    public function test_prune_with_zero_retention_deletes_nothing(): void
+    {
+        Setting::put('audit_retention_days', '0');
+
+        $old = $this->seedEvent(now()->subDays(1000), 'ancient.event');
+
+        $this->artisan('clusev:prune-audit')->assertExitCode(0);
+
+        $this->assertDatabaseHas('audit_events', ['id' => $old->id]);
+    }
+
+    public function test_prune_with_empty_retention_deletes_nothing(): void
+    {
+        // No setting persisted at all → treated as unlimited.
+        $old = $this->seedEvent(now()->subDays(1000), 'ancient.event');
+
+        $this->artisan('clusev:prune-audit')->assertExitCode(0);
+
+        $this->assertDatabaseHas('audit_events', ['id' => $old->id]);
+    }
+
+    public function test_audit_component_saves_retention_and_writes_audit_event(): void
+    {
+        $this->actingAs(User::factory()->create(['must_change_password' => false]));
+
+        Livewire::test(Index::class)
+            ->set('retentionDays', '30')
+            ->call('saveRetention')
+            ->assertHasNoErrors();
+
+        $this->assertSame('30', Setting::get('audit_retention_days'));
+
+        $this->assertDatabaseHas('audit_events', [
+            'action' => 'audit.retention_set',
+            'target' => 'audit_retention_days=30',
+        ]);
+    }
+}