What Happens When You Stop an EC2 Instance?
Stop or terminate? They sound similar, but the difference can save your EC2 instance—and your data.
Many beginners think:
Stop EC2 = Delete EC2
That's not correct.
Stop
When you stop an EBS-backed EC2 instance:
- The instance is shut down.
- Its EBS volumes remain.
- You can start the instance again later.
- The public IPv4 address may change when you start it again.
Terminate
When you terminate an EC2 instance:
- The instance is permanently removed.
- Its root EBS volume is usually deleted by default.
- You generally cannot start that instance again.
Easy Way to Remember
Stop = Pause
Terminate = Delete
Before terminating an instance, always check whether you need the data stored on its volumes.
Don't click "Terminate" when you simply mean "Stop."
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