---
title: Delete an instance
description: Delete a Cloud instance with its data and backups, and free its address.
---

Deleting an instance removes it, its data, its backups and its exports for good. Its address becomes free for a new instance. You can delete any instance, including one you have not paid for.

:::warning[This cannot be undone]
Nothing can be restored after you delete an instance. If you want to keep anything, download an export first. See [Export your data](/cloud/your-instance/export-your-data).
:::

## What happens to the subscription

If the instance still has a paid subscription, deleting it cancels the subscription at once, without a refund for the rest of the period. The card says so: "Its subscription is cancelled at once, without a refund for the rest of the period. To let it run until the period ends instead, cancel from the Billing tab."

To keep using the instance until the end of the period you paid for, cancel the subscription instead. See [Cancel a subscription](/cloud/billing/cancel-a-subscription).

If the instance has no active subscription, the card says "It has no active subscription."

## Delete the instance

1. **Open Settings**

    Open your instance in the console and click **Settings** in the sidebar. The card **Delete this instance** says "Removes the instance, its data and its backups for good, and frees the address."

2. **Start the deletion**

    Click **Delete instance**. A dialog asks "Delete acme?" (with your instance's name) and says "This
    cannot be undone. Everything in the instance and its backups is deleted."

3. **Confirm**

    Type the instance's name, such as `acme`, in the box. It must match exactly. Then click **Delete instance** in the dialog. You see "Deleting acme."

If you see "The instance could not be deleted. Try again in a few minutes.", nothing was deleted. Try again later.

## After you delete it

The status changes to **Deleting**, and the **Overview** says "Deleting this instance". When the work is done, the status is **Deleted**, and the instance no longer appears on the **Instances** page.

The address is free again once the deletion is done. Until then, a new instance with the same address gets "That name is already taken."

To delete your Metis Cloud account, you must delete every instance first. See [Profile and delete your account](/cloud/account/profile-and-delete-your-account).