---
type: api
title: Delete snapshot repositories
description: When a repository is unregistered, Elasticsearch removes only the reference to the location where the repository is storing the snapshots.
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-snapshot-delete-repository
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-snapshot-delete-repository
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# Delete snapshot repositories

Availability: Generally available since 0.0

## Paths

- `DELETE` `/_snapshot/{repository}`

#### Path parameters

- `repository` (union string | string[]) — required
  The ame of the snapshot repositories to unregister.
Wildcard (`*`) patterns are supported.

## Description

When a repository is unregistered, Elasticsearch removes only the reference to the location where the repository is storing the snapshots.
The snapshots themselves are left untouched and in place.

## Required authorization

- Cluster privileges: `manage`

## Authentication

- Api key: `Authorization: <value>`
  Elasticsearch APIs support key-based authentication.
  You must create an API key and use the encoded value in the request header.
  For example:
  
  
  ```
  curl -X GET "${ES_URL}/_cat/indices?v=true" \
    -H "Authorization: ApiKey ${API_KEY}"
  ```
  
  To get API keys, use the `/_security/api_key` APIs.
- Basic: `Authorization: Basic <credentials>`
- Bearer: `Authorization: Bearer <token>`
  Elasticsearch APIs support the use of bearer tokens in the `Authorization` HTTP header to authenticate with the API.
  For examples, refer to [Token-based authentication services](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/token-authentication-services.html)

## Query string parameters

- `master_timeout` (string · default: 30s) — optional
  The period to wait for the master node.
If the master node is not available before the timeout expires, the request fails and returns an error.
To indicate that the request should never timeout, set it to `-1`.
- `timeout` (string · default: 30s) — optional
  The period to wait for a response from all relevant nodes in the cluster after updating the cluster metadata.
If no response is received before the timeout expires, the cluster metadata update still applies but the response will indicate that it was not completely acknowledged.
To indicate that the request should never timeout, set it to `-1`.

## Response

`application/json`

- `acknowledged` (boolean)
  For a successful response, this value is always true. On failure, an exception is returned instead.
## Code examples

#### Console

```console
DELETE /_snapshot/my_repository
```

#### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await client.snapshot.deleteRepository({
  name: "my_repository",
});
```

#### Python

```python
resp = client.snapshot.delete_repository(
    name="my_repository",
)
```

#### curl

```curl
curl -X DELETE "$ELASTICSEARCH_URL/_snapshot/my_repository" \
  -H "Authorization: ApiKey $ELASTIC_API_KEY"
```

#### Java

```java
client.snapshot().deleteRepository(d -> d
    .name("my_repository")
);
```

#### C#

```c#
var response = await client.Snapshot.DeleteRepositoryAsync(name: new[] { "my_repository" });
```

#### PHP

```php
$resp = $client->snapshot()->deleteRepository([
    "repository" => "my_repository",
]);
```

#### Ruby

```ruby
response = client.snapshot.delete_repository(
  repository: "my_repository"
)
```