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    ApsaraDB RDS:Release or unsubscribe from an instance

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    ApsaraDB RDS:Release or unsubscribe from an instance

    Last Updated:Jul 10, 2026

    Manually release a pay-as-you-go or serverless ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance, or unsubscribe from a subscription instance through the ApsaraDB RDS console or API.

    Usage notes

    • You can only release pay-as-you-go or serverless instances. You can only unsubscribe from subscription instances.

    • After you release or unsubscribe from an instance, data retention depends on the scenario:

      • Instances moved to the recycle bin

        The following types of instances are moved to the recycle bin, where you can unlock and re-create them:

        • Subscription instances that are released upon expiration or manually unsubscribed.

        • Pay-as-you-go instances that are manually released.

        • Serverless instances that are manually released.

        Note

        Only instances that meet specific requirements are moved to the recycle bin. For more information, see Recycle bin.

      • Data backup retention policy

        After an instance with a configured backup retention policy is released or unsubscribed, its data backups are retained and can be downloaded to a local device. If you set the policy to Latest or All, a small backup storage fee is incurred. For more information about how to clean up the backups, see Delete backups of a deleted instance.

      • Cross-region backup retention

        If you enabled cross-region backup for an instance, the cross-region backup data is retained for the duration of the retention period.

      • Immediate data deletion

        In all other cases, the instance and its data are immediately deleted and cannot be recovered. Proceed with caution. Before you release or unsubscribe from an instance, back up data and download the backups.

    • Rules for releasing primary and read-only instances:

      • To release the last read-only instance of a primary instance, you must first disable the read/write splitting feature.

      • After you release a primary instance, its subscription read-only instances are automatically unsubscribed and released with a refund, and its pay-as-you-go read-only instances are directly released.

    • After you unsubscribe from a subscription instance, the instance is locked. It remains visible in the console, but billing stops. To completely remove the instance from the console, you must destroy the instance in the recycle bin.

    Release or unsubscribe from a primary instance

    Pay-as-you-go and serverless

    1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console, in the left-side navigation pane, click Instances, and then select a region at the top.

    2. Open the Release Instance dialog box:

      • Method 1: In the Actions column of the target instance, select More > Release Instance.

      • Method 2: Click the target instance ID. On the Basic Information page, in the Status section, click Release Instance.

    3. In the dialog box that appears, click OK.

    Subscription

    You can unsubscribe from the instance from one of the following three pages:

    Resource Unsubscription page

    Log on to the Resource Unsubscription page and submit a ticket to unsubscribe from a subscription instance.

    Instances page

    1. Log in to the ApsaraDB RDS console, in the left-side navigation pane, click Instances, and at the top, select a region.

    2. Click the target instance ID. On the Basic Information page, in the Status section, click Cancellation of Instance Subscription to open the Unsubscriptions page. Then, submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the instance.

    Instance details page

    1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select a region.

    2. In the Actions column of the target instance, click More > Instance Unsubscription. In the dialog box that appears, click OK to go to the Unsubscriptions page. Submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the instance.

    Release or unsubscribe from a read-only instance

    Pay-as-you-go

    1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which your RDS instance resides.

    2. Open the Release Instance dialog box:

      • Method 1: In the Actions column of the target read-only instance, select More > Release Instance.Release a pay-as-you-go instance from the instance list

      • Method 2: Click the target instance ID. On the Basic Information page, click Release Instance.

    3. In the dialog box that appears, click OK.

    Subscription

    You can unsubscribe from the instance from one of the following three pages:

    Resource Unsubscription page

    Log on to the Resource Unsubscription page and submit a ticket to unsubscribe from a subscription instance.

    Instances page

    1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. At the top of the page, select a region.

    2. Click the target instance ID. On the Basic Information page, in the Status section, click Cancellation of Instance Subscription to go to the Unsubscriptions page. Submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the instance.

    Instance details page

    1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select a region.

    2. In the Actions column for the target instance, click Cancellation of Instance Subscription. In the dialog box that appears, click OK to go to the Unsubscriptions page. Then, submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the instance.

    Automatic release

    After you release a primary instance, its subscription read-only instances are automatically unsubscribed and released with a refund, and its pay-as-you-go read-only instances are directly released.

    FAQ

    Will releasing or unsubscribing from a read-only instance affect my services?

    Yes, releasing or unsubscribing from a read-only instance can affect your services.

    • If a database proxy is enabled, set the read weight of the read-only instance to 0 before releasing it. Existing cached connections may persist and continue routing to the read-only instance. Establish new connections to route requests to other read-only instances.

    • If a database proxy is not enabled, modify your application code to change the connection endpoint from the read-only instance to another read-only instance or the primary instance.

    How can I recover data after releasing or unsubscribing from an instance?

    If your RDS instance is configured to retain backup files after release, you can download backups from the Backup for Deleted Instances page to restore your data.

    Why can't I find the option to release the instance as described in the documentation?

    Subscription instances cannot be released. You can only submit a ticket to unsubscribe.

    How can I confirm if billing has stopped after releasing or unsubscribing from an instance?

    To confirm that billing has stopped, check your bill details in Billing Management. Charges from the final billing cycle appear in your next bill, but no new charges are generated for the instance afterward.

    1. Log on to Billing Management.

    2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Bills > Bill Details.

    3. Set the statistical item to Instance and select ApsaraDB RDS in the product filter.

    4. Compare the billing data for the months before and after the release to verify that no new charges appear for the instance in subsequent bills.

    API reference

    API

    Description

    DeleteDBInstance

    Releases a pay-as-you-go or serverless ApsaraDB RDS instance. Does not support unsubscribing from subscription instances.

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