This topic describes how to start or stop an ECS instance in the ECS console. It also describes operations related to the No fees for stopped instances (VPC-Connected) feature.

Prerequisites

  • The instance you want to start must be in the Stopped state.
  • The instance you want to stop must be in the Running state.

Start an instance

To start an instance, follow these steps:

  1. Log on to the ECS console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Instances & Images > Instances.
  3. In the top navigation bar, select a region.
  4. Find the instance to be started and, in the Actions column, choose More > Instance Status > Start.
    Note If you want to start multiple Stopped instances, select the required instances and then, under the instance list, click Start.
  5. Read and confirm you agree to the note displayed in the dialog box by clicking OK.

After the instance is started, it enters the Running state.

You can also start an instance by calling the StartInstance API action through the Alibaba Cloud CLI, OpenAPI Explorer, or Alibaba Cloud SDK.

Stop a Subscription instance

Note Stopping an instance disrupts services. Exercise caution when performing this action.

To stop an instance, follow these steps:

  1. Log on to the ECS console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Instances & Images > Instances.
  3. In the top navigation bar, select a region.
  4. Find the instance to be stopped and, in the Actions column, choose More > Instance Status > Stop.
    Note If you want to stop multiple Running instances, select the required instances and then, under the instance list, click Stop.
  5. Read and confirm you agree to the note displayed in the dialog box by clicking OK.
  6. In the Stop Instance dialog box, set Stop Mode and click OK.

After the instance is stopped, it enters the Stopped state.

Stop a Pay-As-You-Go instance

Note Stopping an instance disrupts services. Exercise caution when performing this action. The procedure for stopping a preemptible instance is the same as that for a Pay-As-You-Go instance. For more information, see Stop a preemptible instance.

Stopping a Pay-As-You-Go instance may affect instance billing. The impact is determined by the network type and the No Fees for Stopped Instances (VPC-Connected) feature:

  • Classic network: A Pay-As-You-Go instance in the classic network does not support the No Fees for Stopped Instances (VPC-Connected) feature and the instance still incurs fees after it is stopped. The billing stops only after you release the instance.
  • VPC: A Pay-As-You-Go instance in the VPC network supports the No Fees for Stopped Instances (VPC-Connected) feature:
    • If this feature is not enabled, billing continues after the instance is stopped.
    • If this feature is enabled, you can decide whether to keep the instance after you stop the instance by specifying Keep Stopped Instances and Continue Billing. If you do not want to keep the instance, resources such as vCPUs, memory, and Internet IP addresses stop incurring fees. However, you are still billed for other resources. For more information, see No fees for stopped VPC instances.

To stop a Pay-As-You-Go instance, follow these steps:

  1. Log on to the ECS console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Instances & Images > Instances.
  3. In the top navigation bar, select a region.
  4. Find the Pay-As-You-Go instance to be stopped and, in the Actions column, choose More > Instance Status > Stop.
    Note If you want to stop multiple Running instances, select the required instances and then, under the instance list, click Stop.
  5. Complete required actions according to the network type of the instance and whether No Fees for Stopped Instances (VPC-Connected) is enabled:
    • If the network type is classic or No Fees for Stopped Instances (VPC-Connected) is not enabled:
      1. In the Stop Instance dialog box, set Stop Mode.
      2. Click OK.
    • If No Fees for Stopped Instances (VPC-Connected) is enabled:
      1. Read the note displayed in the Notes dialog box.
      2. Confirm the note by clicking OK.
      3. In the Stop Instance dialog box, set Stop Mode and Stopped By.
        Note If Keep Stopped Instances and Continue Billing is selected, the instance continues to incur fees after being stopped. If Keep Stopped Instances and Continue Billing is not selected, the instance will not be billed after being stopped.
      4. Click OK.
      Note To disable the No Fees for Stopped Instances (VPC-Connected) feature, see No fees for stopped VPC instances.


The instance is in the Stopped state after you stop it.

You can also stop a Pay-As-You-Go instance by calling the StopInstance API action through the Alibaba Cloud CLI, OpenAPI Explorer, or Alibaba Cloud SDK.