# Unaccessed EBS snapshot | Cloud Efficiency Hub Canonical: https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/unaccessed-ebs-snapshot Snapshots are retained long after they've served their purpose. Snapshots may have been created for backups, migrations, or disaster recovery plans but... By: PointFive Updated: 2026-09-28 [Cloud Efficiency Hub](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) # Unaccessed EBS Snapshot The short version Snapshots are retained long after they've served their purpose. PointFive Research Cloud cost research at PointFive AWS service [AWS EBS](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/aws-ebs) Category [Storage](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/service-category/storage) Reference CER-0013 Type Idle or Unused Resource ## Explanation Why the waste happens and who it affects. Snapshots may have been created for backups, migrations, or disaster recovery plans but were never deleted - even after the related workload or volume was decommissioned. Over time, these unused snapshots accumulate, continuing to incur storage costs without providing operational value. ## Billing model The pricing dimensions that drive this cost. EBS snapshots are billed per GB-month for the total data stored. The first snapshot is a full backup; each subsequent snapshot stores only the changed blocks. Deleting a snapshot removes only the data not referenced by any other snapshot, so savings depend on how much unique data the snapshot holds; data still referenced by newer snapshots is retained and billed to them. ## How to detect How to find it in your estate. Identify snapshots that have not been used to create a new volume or AMI over a defined lookback period Review snapshot tags, descriptions, and creation context to assess whether they were part of a temporary workflow or a long-term retention strategy Check whether the associated volume or instance still exists, or if the snapshot has become orphaned Validate whether the snapshot is still required for compliance, recovery, or audit purposes ## How to fix How to remove the waste. Delete snapshots that are no longer needed or are linked to resources that no longer exist. A snapshot used by a registered AMI can be deleted only after the AMI is deregistered, and snapshots that match a Recycle Bin retention rule stay in the Recycle Bin, billed at the normal snapshot rate, until the retention period ends. Where retention is required but access is unlikely, document the business reason and implement lifecycle policies to automatically expire outdated snapshots. Consider tagging new snapshots with creation intent and retention timelines to support better cleanup workflows in the future. ## Documentation Vendor references for pricing and configuration. - [EBS Pricing aws.amazon.com](https://aws.amazon.com/ebs/pricing/) - [Amazon EBS snapshots docs.aws.amazon.com](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/ebs/latest/userguide/ebs-snapshots.html) - [Delete an Amazon EBS snapshot docs.aws.amazon.com](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/ebs/latest/userguide/ebs-deleting-snapshot.html) ## Related inefficiencies [Browse the library](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) - AWS EBS CER-0051 ### [Unused EBS Volume Attached to a Stopped EC2 Instance](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/unused-ebs-volume-attached-to-a-stopped-ec2-instance) An EC2 instance is stopped but still has one or more attached EBS volumes. Although the compute resource is not generating charges while stopped, the attached volumes continue to incur full storage and performance-related costs. These... Storage - AWS EBS CER-0066 ### [Inactive and Detached EBS Volume](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/inactive-and-detached-ebs-volume) EBS volumes frequently remain detached after EC2 instances are terminated, replaced, or reconfigured. Some may be intentionally retained for reattachment or backup purposes, but many persist unintentionally due to the lack of automated... Storage - AWS EBS CER-0398 ### [Unused EBS Fast Snapshot Restore](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/unused-ebs-fast-snapshot-restore) EBS fast snapshot restore (FSR) lets volumes created from a snapshot deliver their full provisioned performance immediately, without first-read initialization latency. It is enabled per snapshot and per Availability Zone, and each snapshot... Storage --- Source: the public page above. Product screenshots and illustrative interfaces are examples, not live customer data.