> ## 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. # Release a public IP > Stop billing on a reserved IP by releasing it back to the pool — irreversible, the IP becomes available for someone else to auto-assign or reserve Updated May 8, 2026 Releasing a reserved IP **stops the billing** and returns the address to the regional pool. After release, the IP is gone from your account; you can't get it back. Someone else may auto-assign or reserve the same address moments later. This page is for **reserved** IPs only. Auto-assigned IPs are released automatically when you remove them from a VM (or delete the VM) — there's nothing extra to do, and no separate "release" action exists for them. ## Before you release Three things to confirm before clicking: 1. **The IP is no longer attached to a VM.** Detach it first from the VM detail page or the row menu. 2. **No DNS records or partner whitelists point at this IP.** Once released, anyone may end up holding this address; if you have a record pointing at it, traffic could land somewhere unexpected. 3. **You don't expect to need this exact address again.** Release is irreversible. If you only want a brief pause, [detach](/products/network/public-ips/quickstart-guides/move-between-vms#1-detach-from-the-source-vm) and leave it reserved instead — \$3/month is the price of keeping the address yours. ## 1. Open the Public IPs tab In **Networking → Public IPs**, find the IP. The Assigned To column should show `—` (unassigned) — if it shows a VM name, [detach it first](/products/network/public-ips/quickstart-guides/manage-from-vm#remove-a-public-ip). ## 2. Click Release On the IP's row, click the `⋮` menu → **Release IP**. A confirmation dialog opens describing what's about to happen — the address goes back to the pool, billing stops, and the change is permanent. Type the IP address (or click confirm — depending on the dialog version) to proceed. ## 3. Confirm and move on The release completes in seconds. The IP disappears from your Public IPs list. The **Reserved** stat at the top decrements. The **Available in pool** count increments by one for that region. Billing for the IP stops at the release timestamp. The unused days of the current month are credited back to your account balance — same prorated-on-delete model as VMs and volumes. ## What if the IP is currently attached? The Release action is **disabled** while a VM holds the IP. The dashboard shows the row's status as `Active` and the menu's Release item is greyed. To release an attached IP, you have two paths: | If you want to | Do this | | ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Stop billing AND keep the VM running | Detach the IP from the VM (Network tab → Remove Public IP), then Release | | Stop billing AND delete the VM | Delete the VM with "release attached IPs" — the VM-delete dialog handles both at once | For auto-assigned IPs the choice is moot — they release automatically on detach or VM delete with no separate action. ## Pool re-allocation timing — and why there is no recovery path Once released, an IP is **immediately eligible for re-allocation** to any other Raff customer (or back to the same account, but with no preference for "you released it last"): * There is **no cooldown**. The address goes straight from your account into the available pool. * The next auto-assign or reserve call from any customer in the same region — possibly within seconds — can pick up that exact IP. * Once it's been allocated to a different tenant, it is **not recoverable to your account**. There is no support escalation that pulls the IP back from the new holder. Practical implication: only release when you're certain the address is no longer in use anywhere — DNS records, partner allow-lists, hard-coded client configs, monitoring targets. If you find out 10 minutes later that something still pointed at it, the recovery options are: | Situation | What you can do | | --------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | The IP is still in the pool (no one re-claimed yet) | [Reserve a new IP](/products/network/public-ips/quickstart-guides/reserve-ip) and try the same address — auto-assign cannot target a specific IP, but reserve sometimes can if it's still free. There is **no guarantee** | | The IP has been re-allocated | Update DNS, allow-lists, and clients to point at a fresh reserved IP. The released address is permanently gone from your account | This is why the comparison below — **detach (keep reserved)** vs **release** — usually tilts toward keeping reserved at \$3/month. The cost of reclaiming a released address can be far higher than 12 months of holding it. ## Difference from "detach" It's worth re-stating because it confuses every new Raff user: | Action | What happens | | ------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Remove Public IP** (auto-assigned) | IP returns to pool. Billing stops (it was free anyway). No way to reclaim | | **Remove Public IP** (reserved) | IP detaches from VM, **stays in your account**. Billing continues at \$3/month. Re-attachable | | **Release IP** (reserved) | IP returns to pool. **Billing stops.** Cannot reclaim | If you might need the address again, **detach and keep reserved**. \$3/month is cheap insurance against the IP being grabbed by someone else. ## Related The reservation that release reverses. Detach without releasing — keep the IP for later. Why the lifecycles are different.