EC2 instance is a virtual machine with all its components located in the cloud. Delete the instance, if the work is done on the instance so it does not cost any more. Termination of the instance deletes the instance permanently, but stopping it will not delete it permanently. The user can start the instance after stopping it but it has to launch a new one after terminating the instance.

This guide will explain how to delete the instance permanently or temporarily in EC2.

How to Delete/Terminate Instance in EC2?

To delete an EC2 instance, visit the EC2 dashboard by searching it on the AWS Management Console:

Click on the “Instances” page from the left panel:

Click on the “Instance ID” of the instance to be deleted:

On the Summary page, expand the “Instance state” menu and click on the “Terminate instance” button:

Again, click on the “Terminate” button to confirm the deletion of the instance:

The successful termination message will be displayed on the top of the page:

After terminating the instance, the instance doesn’t immediately delete from the “Instances” page, but rest assured that it does not cost anything after its termination:

That’s all about deleting the instance permanently, the next section will demonstrate stopping it temporarily.

How to Stop Instance in EC2?

The instance has to be in the “Running” state to stop it. Expand the “Instance state” menu and click on the “Stop instance” button:

Confirm the operation by clicking on the “Stop” button:

The success message will be displayed on the top:

That’s all about the instance deletion temporarily and permanently.

Conclusion

To delete the instance in EC2, visit the EC2 dashboard from the AWS account and head to the “Instances” page from the left panel. Choose the instance to be deleted and expand the “Instance state” from the summary page. Click on the “Terminate” button and confirm it from the pop-up window and wait a moment for its termination. This guide has explained the deletion of instances in the EC2 dashboard.