Backup storage costs accumulate as long as backup files exist. To reduce costs for an ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance, delete unneeded backup files or reduce the volume of backups generated going forward.
Deleted backup files are permanently removed and cannot be recovered.
Data backup files and log backup files consume backup storage allocated by Alibaba Cloud — not the storage capacity of the RDS instance. To release instance storage instead, see FAQ about storage capacity.
What you can and cannot delete manually
Before you start, confirm which backup types support manual deletion:
| Backup type | Manual deletion | Delete via policy |
|---|---|---|
| Manual backup | Yes — delete individual backup sets from the console | Yes — reduce retention period |
| Automatic backup | No — cannot be deleted individually | Yes — reduce retention period |
Delete or reduce data backup files
Delete data backup files
Delete manually (manual backups only)
To verify whether a backup set is eligible for manual deletion, click the 
icon in the Backup Method column. If Manual Backup is displayed, the backup set can be deleted.
Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console and go to the Instances page. In the top navigation bar, select the region where your instance resides. Then, find the RDS instance and click the instance ID.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration.
Click the Base Backups tab, then the Data Backup tab.
Find the backup set and click Delete in the Actions column.
Delete via retention policy (manual and automatic backups)
Shorten the retention period to automatically delete older backup sets. This applies to both manual and automatic backups.
Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console and go to the Instances page. In the top navigation bar, select the region where your instance resides. Then, find the RDS instance and click the instance ID.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration.
Click the Backup Strategy tab.
In the Data Backup Settings section, click Edit and reduce the backup retention period. The minimum retention period is 7 days. Backup sets older than the configured period are deleted automatically.
Reduce data backup files
Lower the backup frequency to generate fewer backup sets going forward.
Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console and go to the Instances page. In the top navigation bar, select the region where your instance resides. Then, find the RDS instance and click the instance ID.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration.
Click the Backup Strategy tab.
In the Data Backup Settings section, click Edit and reduce the backup frequency.
NoteSet the backup frequency to at least twice a week to maintain adequate data protection.
Delete log backup files
Log backup frequency cannot be reduced directly. To delete log backup files, either shorten the log backup retention period or disable the log backup feature.
Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console and go to the Instances page. In the top navigation bar, select the region where your instance resides. Then, find the RDS instance and click the instance ID.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration.
Click the Backup Strategy tab.
In the Data Backup Settings section, click Edit, then choose one of the following options:
Reduce the log backup retention period — The minimum retention period is 7 days. Log backup sets older than the configured period are deleted automatically.
Disable the log backup feature — Existing log backup files are deleted within 1–3 minutes after you disable this feature.
WarningDisabling log backups removes the ability to perform point-in-time recovery (PITR) for your instance.
API reference
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| DeleteBackup | Deletes data backup files of an instance |
| ModifyBackupPolicy | Modifies the backup policy of an instance |