> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rafftechnologies.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Manage power > Stop, start, and reboot virtual machines from the dashboard Updated May 8, 2026 You can change a VM's power state from three places: 1. **VM detail page** — the top-right **Running** toggle, or the **Power** tab 2. **Instance list row** — the 3-dot Actions menu 3. **Bulk selection** — tick checkboxes and use the toolbar to act on many VMs at once ## 1. From the VM detail page The detail page has two power controls: * **Running toggle** (top right) — flip it off to power down, on to power up. Quickest path. * **Power** tab — full panel with the explanatory copy and a single big **Turn Off VM** / **Turn On VM** button. VM detail page on the Power tab, with the Running toggle top right and the Turn Off VM button The top action bar also has a **Restart** button — a soft reboot (graceful when possible). ## 2. From the row Actions menu In the **Instances** list, click the **⋮** at the right end of any VM row. The menu includes **Stop**, **Restart**, and the other per-VM actions. Instance list with the row Actions menu open showing Stop and Restart options This is the fastest path to stop or restart a single VM without leaving the list. ## 3. Bulk — multiple VMs at once Tick the checkbox on several rows. A toolbar appears at the top of the list with bulk options: * **Stop N** — stop every selected VM * **Delete Selected** — destroy every selected VM (irreversible) * **Clear** — deselect all Instance list with two VMs checked and the bulk toolbar showing Stop 2 and Delete Selected Use this for batch maintenance — e.g. stopping a whole stack of VMs at the start of a maintenance window. ## How shutdown actually works Stopping from the control panel triggers a **graceful shutdown first**. If the OS doesn't acknowledge in time, the platform falls back to a **forced shutdown** — which can corrupt open files or in-flight database writes. For production VMs, prefer issuing the shutdown from inside the VM: * **Linux:** `sudo poweroff` (or `sudo shutdown -h now`) * **Windows:** `Shutdown /s /t 0` from PowerShell, or **Start → Power → Shut down** Once the OS finishes its clean shutdown, the platform marks the VM `passive`. ## What's preserved while stopped | Resource | State while `passive` | | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | Disk contents | Retained | | Public IPv4 | Held, not released | | CPU, RAM, disk slot | Reserved on the hypervisor | | Bandwidth | Unlimited outbound on every plan, regardless of state | ## Billing while stopped Stopped VMs (`passive`) are **still billed** under their subscription — stopping does not prorate or pause charges. To stop charges, [delete the VM](/products/build/virtual-machines/quickstart-guides/delete-vm); unused subscription days and hours are credited back to your account balance. ## Status reference | Status | Description | Billable | | -------------- | --------------------------- | -------- | | `active` | Running and accessible | Yes | | `passive` | Stopped, resources reserved | Yes | | `provisioning` | Being created | Yes | | `booting` | Starting up | Yes | | `initiating` | Initial setup | Yes | | `finalizing` | Shutting down | Yes | | `failure` | Failed operation | No | | `unknown` | Unhandled state | No | See [Lifecycle states](/products/build/virtual-machines/concepts/lifecycle-states) for the full transition diagram. ## Next steps Change CPU and RAM (requires stop). Permanently remove a VM.