# Delete a stack from the CloudFormation console
<a name="cfn-console-delete-stack"></a>

If you no longer need the resources in a stack, you can delete the entire stack.

When deleting a stack, CloudFormation deletes all resources in that stack unless you used a deletion policy to retain specific resources. For more information, see [DeletionPolicy attribute](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/TemplateReference/aws-attribute-deletionpolicy.html).

**To delete a stack (console)**

1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the CloudFormation console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation](https://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation/).

1. On the navigation bar at the top of the screen, choose the AWS Region where the stack is located.

1. On the **Stacks** page, choose the stack that you want to delete. The stack must be currently running.

1. Choose **Delete**.

1. When prompted for confirmation, choose **Delete**.
**Note**  
The stack deletion operation can't be stopped once the stack deletion has begun. The stack proceeds to the `DELETE_IN_PROGRESS` state.  
After the stack deletion is complete, the stack will be in the `DELETE_COMPLETE` state. Stacks in the `DELETE_COMPLETE` state aren't displayed in the CloudFormation console by default. To display deleted stacks, you must change the stack view filter as described in [View deleted stacks from the CloudFormation console](cfn-console-view-deleted-stacks.md).

**To force delete a stack (console)**

A stack deletion might fail because a resource in the stack fails to delete. For example, CloudFormation will fail the deletion of a resource that another stack also depends on. Any resources that haven't been deleted will remain until you can successfully delete the stack. If the deletion fails and returns a `DELETE_FAILED` state, you can choose to retry using one of two methods. 

1. On the **Stacks** page in the CloudFormation console, choose the stack that you want to force delete.

1. In the stack details pane, choose **Retry delete**.

1. Choose between the following options:
   + **Delete this stack but retain resources**: This option allows you to select the specific resources that originally failed to delete, but you want to retain during the force stack deletion.
   + **Force delete this entire stack**: This option retains all resources that failed to delete, and retains dependencies of those resources.

1. Choose **Delete** to begin the force delete process with your selections. 

**To review retained resources (console)**

After deleting the stack, you can view the resources that were retained in the console.

1. In the stacks list, choose the **Filter status** and select **Deleted**.

1. Choose the deleted stack.

1. Choose the **Resources** tab.

1. All retained resources show the `DELETE_SKIPPED` **Status**.

1. Choose the retained resource you want to review.

**To delete a stack using the command line**  
You can use one of the following commands:
+ [delete-stack](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/cloudformation/delete-stack.html) (AWS CLI)
+ [Remove-CFNStack](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/powershell/latest/reference/items/Remove-CFNStack.html) (AWS Tools for Windows PowerShell)

For examples of using the command line to delete a stack, see [Examples of CloudFormation stack operation commands for the AWS CLI and PowerShell](service_code_examples.md).

**Express mode**  
To delete a stack using express mode, add the `--deployment-config` parameter to the `delete-stack` command. Express mode completes the delete operation as soon as CloudFormation issues the delete API call for each resource, without waiting for resources to be fully removed. For more information, see [Express mode](cloudformation-express-mode.md).

```
aws cloudformation delete-stack --stack-name {{myteststack}} \
    --deployment-config '{"mode": "EXPRESS"}'
```

**Note**  
In the CloudFormation console, you can select **Express** for the deployment mode when deleting a stack to use express mode.

## Related resources
<a name="delete-stack-related-resources"></a>

For help troubleshooting stack deletion errors, see the [Delete stack fails](troubleshooting.md#troubleshooting-errors-delete-stack-fails) troubleshooting topic.

For information on protecting stacks from being accidentally deleted, see [Protect CloudFormation stacks from being deleted](using-cfn-protect-stacks.md).