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Cloud Shell:Limits

Last Updated:Jun 02, 2026

Cloud Shell imposes limits on virtual machines, sessions, and file storage.

Limit

Description

Virtual machines

Only one virtual machine runs at a time. All session windows connect to it automatically.

Session windows

You can open up to five session windows.

Inactivity timeout

After 30 minutes of inactivity or when all session windows close, the session stops. The virtual machine is destroyed 15 minutes later. Restarting Cloud Shell creates a new virtual machine.

Expiration

Each virtual machine has a 1-hour lifetime. After expiration, Cloud Shell destroys it immediately. Restarting Cloud Shell creates a new virtual machine.

File storage

Cloud Shell provides 10 GB of temporary storage in the /home/shell folder. This space resets when the virtual machine is destroyed. For persistent storage, mount a bucket. The bucket loads automatically each time Cloud Shell starts.

Prohibited use

Compute-intensive, network-intensive, long-running tasks, and malicious processes are prohibited. Violations may result in your session being stopped or disabled without notice.