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Elastic Compute Service:Manage instance release protection

Last Updated:Jul 15, 2026

Enable release protection for pay-as-you-go instances that host critical services or store important data. This prevents accidental manual release via the console, API, or CLI, avoiding irreversible data loss.

Prerequisites

The instance uses the pay-as-you-go billing method.

Usage notes

Release protection does not prevent automatic release. Automatic release occurs in scenarios including but not limited to:

  • Your account has an overdue payment for more than 15 days.

  • The instance has a scheduled automatic release time.

  • The instance is stopped due to security or compliance risks.

  • Auto Scaling (ESS) removes and releases the instance during a scale-in event.

Effect of release protection

When you manually release instances in the console, instances with release protection enabled are skipped.

The instance is categorized under the Non-releasable Instances tab. Hover over the information icon to see the tooltip Release protection is enabled for this instance.

Enable or disable release protection

Release protection is disabled by default. You can enable or disable it when creating an instance or after creation.

Enable or disable for an existing instance

Enable or disable release protection for a pay-as-you-go instance after creation.

  1. Go to ECS console - Instances.

  2. In the upper-left corner of the page, select a region and resource group.

  3. Click the instance ID to go to the details page. Click All Operations, then search for and click Enable Instance Release Protection or Disable Release Protection. In the Enable Instance Release Protection or Disable Release Protection dialog box, click Enable Protection or Disable Protection.

Enable or disable when creating an instance

Release protection is disabled by default when creating a pay-as-you-go instance. Enable it manually if needed.

  1. Go to ECS console - custom launch.

  2. When creating a Pay-as-you-go instance, click Advanced (Optional). In the Instance Release Protection section, select Enable release protection against accidental deletion via the console or API.

Check release protection status

  1. Go to ECS console - Instances.

  2. In the upper-left corner of the page, select a region and resource group.

  3. Click the instance ID to go to the details page. In the Other Information section, check the Release Protection field.

    • Yes: release protection is enabled.

    • No: release protection is disabled.

References