How to delete My Backup Service

Hello Sharad Varade

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Q&A platform.

I understand you created a Recovery Services Vault under the resource group az104-RG1 for practice, and now it's contributing to your Azure subscription charges. To stop the billing, you need to stop the backup, delete the backup data, and then delete the Recovery Services Vault itself. Simply deleting the resource group won't work if the vault still has protected items or dependencies.

Here are the steps to clean this up:

Step 1: Disable Soft Delete

1. In the Azure portal, navigate to your Recovery Services Vault.
2. Go to Properties → Security Settings → select Update.
3. Uncheck Enable soft delete for cloud workloads and Enable soft delete and security settings for hybrid workloads.
4. Select Update.

Step 2: Stop Backup and Delete Backup Data

1. In the vault, go to Protected items → Backup items.
2. For each backup type listed (e.g., Azure Virtual Machine, Azure Backup Agent, etc.), select View details.
3. Select each backup item, then choose Stop backup.
4. In the confirmation window, select Delete Backup Data.
5. Type the item name, select a reason, and confirm Delete.
6. Repeat this for all backup items across all backup types.

Step 3: Unregister Servers and Storage Accounts

1. Go to Backup Infrastructure → Protected Servers and unregister all servers listed.
2. Go to Backup Infrastructure → Storage Accounts and unregister all storage accounts.

Step 4: Remove Private Endpoints (if any)

1. Go to Settings → Networking → Private access.
2. Remove all private endpoint connections, if any exist.

Step 5: Delete the Recovery Services Vault

1. Go back to the vault Overview page.
2. Select Delete and confirm by selecting Yes.
3. The vault will be deleted.

Step 6: Delete the Resource Group (Optional)

Once the vault is deleted, if the resource group az104-RG1 is no longer needed, you can delete it as well:

1. Search for Resource groups in the portal.
2. Select az104-RG1 → Delete resource group → type the name to confirm → Delete.

Note: If you're facing difficulties deleting the vault manually, Microsoft also provides a PowerShell script that automates the entire cleanup process (disabling soft delete, removing all backup items, unregistering servers, and deleting the vault). You can generate this script directly from the vault's Overview page by selecting Delete → Delete using PowerShell Script.

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/scripts/delete-recovery-services-vault

Once the vault and all backup data are removed, you will no longer be billed for the backup service.

For more details, refer to the official documentation: Delete an Azure Backup Recovery Services Vault

Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Thanks,
Suchitra.

Hello Sharad Varade,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A and thank you for posting your questions here.

I understand that you would like to delete your Backup Service.

Deleting the resource group does not guarantee that Azure Backup has fully stopped or that backup-related billing has ended. In the case of retained backup artifacts/lifecycle and billing will still continue. The use of the word is important, stop the backup service properly, and prove the real billing root cause.

To resolve the issue, follow the below steps:

1. Open Recovery Services vaults / Backup vaults and check Manage Deleted Vaults. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-enhanced-soft-delete-configure-manage,
2. If the vault is active, open it and go to Overview > Delete. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-delete-vault
3. For every backup item, run Stop backup with Delete Backup Data. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-delete-vault,
4. Remove all blockers: Protected Servers, Backup Management Servers, Storage Accounts, Private Endpoints, and Site Recovery objects if they exist. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-delete-vault, https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/discussions/azure/troubleshooting---unable-to-delete-recovery-services-vaultcant-delete-azure-back/85945
5. Delete the vault. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-delete-vault
6. Go to Cost Management > Cost Analysis, group by Service name, then filter down to Azure Backup and relevant Meters to confirm whether the remaining bill is vault backup, extended soft delete, or snapshot charges. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/costs/quick-acm-cost-analysis, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/costs/cost-analysis-common-uses, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/costs/customize-cost-analysis-views

Use the associated links for more steps and reading.

I hope this is helpful! Do not hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions, steps or clarifications.

Please don't forget to close up the thread here by upvoting and accept it as an answer if it is helpful.