If you’re looking to delete your AWS account, it’s essential to follow the correct procedure to ensure your account is closed without any issues. Whether you’re moving to another cloud provider or simply no longer need your AWS services, deleting your AWS account is a straightforward process. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about safely closing your AWS account.
Why Delete Your AWS Account?
Before diving into the how-to, let’s explore why you might want to delete your AWS account:
- End of Usage: You no longer need AWS services and want to stop paying for unused resources.
- Switching Providers: You’re migrating to another cloud service and want to clear your AWS account.
- Data Privacy Concerns: You no longer wish to keep your data on AWS for security or privacy reasons.
Whatever your reason, ensuring that you’ve taken the necessary precautions before deleting your account is crucial.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Delete AWS Account
Step 1: Backup Your Data
Before you close your AWS account, ensure you back up any essential data stored on AWS services like S3, EC2, RDS, etc. Once the account is deleted, all data will be lost, and there’s no recovery option.
- Download S3 bucket contents to your local system.
- Back up databases or snapshots.
- Retrieve any logs or reports that might be needed.
Step 2: Resolve Outstanding Bills
Ensure that there are no pending bills on your AWS account. AWS requires accounts to be up to date with payments before they can be closed.
- Review your billing and payment history.
- Clear any unpaid charges.
- Ensure there are no active services or subscriptions (like EC2 instances, S3 storage, etc.) that could incur additional costs.
Step 3: Cancel Subscriptions and Terminate Resources
Before you can close your AWS account, you’ll need to manually terminate all active resources and cancel any subscriptions:
- Stop EC2 instances, RDS databases, and other active services.
- Delete S3 buckets and other storage services.
- Unsubscribe from AWS services like Amazon WorkMail or any Marketplace subscriptions.
Step 4: Sign In to AWS Management Console
Log in to the AWS Management Console using your root account credentials. You cannot close your account unless you have full administrative access.
Step 5: Close Your AWS Account
Now that your data is backed up, your bills are cleared, and subscriptions are terminated, you’re ready to close your AWS account.
- In the AWS Management Console, navigate to the Account Settings page.
- Scroll to the Close Account section.
- Read the warnings and confirm that you understand the consequences of deleting your account.
- Click the Close Account button.
You will receive a confirmation email once your AWS account closure request has been processed. Note that AWS retains a backup of your information for up to 90 days, during which time your account is still technically “closed.”
After Deleting Your AWS Account
Once you’ve closed your AWS account, it will be deactivated, and you will not be able to use AWS services with that account. However, keep in mind the following:
- You will still receive a final bill for any usage up to the time of closure.
- AWS may retain some information for compliance or legal reasons for a limited period after account closure.
- You will no longer have access to the AWS console or any data associated with your account.
Final Thoughts
Deleting your AWS account is a simple process but requires careful preparation to avoid losing important data or incurring unexpected charges. Always back up essential information and cancel any active services before proceeding with account closure. By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth transition away from AWS.
If you have any concerns or need additional help, feel free to reach out to AWS support.