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`multipass delete` command

See also: recover, purge

The multipass delete command deletes the instances or snapshots that are specified as arguments.

You can provide multiple arguments in the same delete command, including both instances and snapshots; for example:

multipass delete --purge legal-takin calm-squirrel.snapshot2

Deleted instances are marked as such and removed from use, but you can still recover them using the multipass recover command, unless you used the -p/--purge option to delete them permanently.

To completely destroy instances and release the disk space they take up, use the --purge option or the multipass purge command.

When you delete a snapshot, or when you delete an instance using the GUI client, Multipass removes them permanently (even if you didn’t use the --purge option) and they cannot be recovered.

The --all option will delete all instances and their snapshots. Take care if using this option.


The output of multipass help delete explains the available options:

Usage: multipass delete [options] <instance>[.snapshot] [<instance>[.snapshot] ...]
Delete instances and snapshots. Instances can be purged immediately or later on,
with the "purge" command. Until they are purged, instances can be recovered
with the "recover" command. Snapshots cannot be recovered after deletion and must be purged at once.

Options:
  -h, --help     Displays help on commandline options
  -v, --verbose  Increase logging verbosity. Repeat the 'v' in the short option
                 for more detail. Maximum verbosity is obtained with 4 (or more)
                 v's, i.e. -vvvv.
  --all          Delete all instances and snapshots
  -p, --purge    Permanently delete specified instances and snapshots
                 immediately

Arguments:
  name           Names of instances and snapshots to delete

Errors or typos? Topics missing? Hard to read? Let us know or open an issue on GitHub.

Last updated 2 months ago. Help improve this document in the forum.