What causes "How to Cancel Amazon OpenSearch Service"?

Domain still running Reserved Instances charge hourly even when unused Manual snapshots in S3 still billed Serverless collection or OCUs still active

How do I fix "How to Cancel Amazon OpenSearch Service"?

1. Export data first: Take a manual snapshot to S3 if you may need the data (automated snapshots are kept 14 days) 2. Delete a provisioned domain: AWS Console > Amazon OpenSearch Service > Domains > select domain > Delete Confirm by typing the domain name 3. Delete Serverless resources: Console > OpenSearch Serverless > Collections > delete collections, then policies 4. Check leftover charges: Review Reserved Instances (non-cancelable, no refunds per AWS pricing page) Delete S3 snapshots and check Billing for data transfer and CloudWatch

// troubleshooting guide · opensearch

How to Cancel Amazon OpenSearch Service

Status: Workaround available
platforms:: AWS
updated:: November 15, 2026
reports:: 2
Method: how we research

RUNBOOK · opensearch/cancel4 FIXES

// quick answer

OpenSearch itself is free; to stop charges delete the Amazon OpenSearch Service domain or Serverless collection. Reserved Instances cannot be canceled or refunded.

Most likely fix: Export data first

How to fix it

// try these in order, the most common fix is first

FIX 1Export data first
1. 01Take a manual snapshot to S3 if you may need the data (automated snapshots are kept 14 days)
Did this fix it?
FIX 2Delete a provisioned domain
1. 01AWS Console > Amazon OpenSearch Service > Domains > select domain > Delete
2. 02Confirm by typing the domain name
Did this fix it?
FIX 3Delete Serverless resources
1. 01Console > OpenSearch Serverless > Collections > delete collections, then policies
Did this fix it?
FIX 4Check leftover charges
1. 01Review Reserved Instances (non-cancelable, no refunds per AWS pricing page)
2. 02Delete S3 snapshots and check Billing for data transfer and CloudWatch
Did this fix it?

Symptoms

You want to stop AWS billing for OpenSearch.

Why it happens

C-01Domain still running
C-02Reserved Instances charge hourly even when unused
C-03Manual snapshots in S3 still billed
C-04Serverless collection or OCUs still active

// this guide also covers

cancel amazon opensearch service
delete opensearch domain
opensearch aws billing stop

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