# How to Delete Snapshots

Snapshots are on-demand disk images of DigitalOcean Droplets and volumes saved to your account. Use them to create new Droplets and volumes with the same contents.

Snapshots remain in your account until you manually delete them. Deleting a snapshot does not affect the usability of any other snapshots.

## Delete a Snapshot using Automation

## How to Delete a Snapshot Using the DigitalOcean CLI

1. [Install `doctl`](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/doctl/how-to/install/index.html.md), the official DigitalOcean CLI.
2. [Create a personal access token](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/create-personal-access-token/index.html.md) and save it for use with `doctl`.
3. Use the token to grant `doctl` access to your DigitalOcean account.

   ```shell
   doctl auth init
   ```
4. Finally, run `doctl compute snapshot delete`. Basic usage looks like this, but you can [read the usage docs](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/doctl/reference/compute/snapshot/delete/index.html.md) for more details:

   ```shell
   doctl compute snapshot delete <snapshot-id>... [flags]
   ```

   The following example deletes a Droplet snapshot with ID `386734086`:

   ```shell
   doctl compute snapshot delete 386734086
   ```

## How to Delete a Snapshot Using the DigitalOcean API

1. [Create a personal access token](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/create-personal-access-token/index.html.md) and save it for use with the API.
2. Send a DELETE request to [`https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/snapshots/{snapshot_id}`](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/digitalocean//index.html.md#operation/snapshots_delete).

### cURL

Using cURL:

```shell
curl -X DELETE \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN" \
  "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/snapshots/fbe805e8-866b-11e6-96bf-000f53315a41"
```

### Go

Using [Godo](https://github.com/digitalocean/godo), the official DigitalOcean API client for Go:

```go
import (
    "context"
    "os"

    "github.com/digitalocean/godo"
)

func main() {
    token := os.Getenv("DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN")

    client := godo.NewFromToken(token)
    ctx := context.TODO()

    _, err := client.Snapshots.Delete(ctx, 'fbe805e8-866b-11e6-96bf-000f53315a41')
}
```

### Ruby

Using [DropletKit](https://github.com/digitalocean/droplet_kit), the official DigitalOcean API client for Ruby:

```ruby
require 'droplet_kit'
token = ENV['DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN']
client = DropletKit::Client.new(access_token: token)

client.snapshots.delete(id: 'fbe805e8-866b-11e6-96bf-000f53315a41')
```

### Python

Using [PyDo](https://github.com/digitalocean/pydo), the official DigitalOcean API client for Python:

```python
import os
from pydo import Client

client = Client(token=os.environ.get("DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN"))

resp = client.snapshots.delete(snapshot_id="fbe805e8")
```

## Delete a Snapshot using the Control Panel

To delete a snapshot from your team, in the control panel’s left menu, click **Backups &amp; Snapshots**. The **Snapshots** tab lists all snapshots in your account.

Snapshots are separated into two lists: one for Droplet snapshots and one for volume snapshots. To remove a snapshot, open its **More** menu and click **Delete**. In the confirmation window that opens, click **Delete Snapshot** to permanently delete the snapshot.