{"id":1009,"date":"2025-06-20T12:51:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T19:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/?p=1009"},"modified":"2025-06-20T12:51:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T19:51:00","slug":"%f0%9f%92%bb-spring-cleaning-for-dev-boxes-mastering-manual-automatic-offboarding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/%f0%9f%92%bb-spring-cleaning-for-dev-boxes-mastering-manual-automatic-offboarding\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udcbb Spring Cleaning for Dev Boxes: Mastering Manual &#038; Automatic Offboarding"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s face it. Sometimes your Dev Box just\u2026 hangs around too long. Whether you\u2019ve moved to a new project, left the company, want to create a new dev box with the latest tools, it&#8217;s time to clean things up. \ud83c\udfaf<\/p>\n<p>With <strong>Dev Box Auto-Deletion<\/strong> now in public preview, offboarding just got a whole lot easier. Here&#8217;s everything you need to know to keep your environment tidy and your costs under control (without deleting anything you still need!).<\/p>\n<h2>\ud83d\ude80 Step 1: Enable the Auto-Deletion Preview Feature<\/h2>\n<p>Before anything else, you need to register the preview feature in your Azure subscription:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Head over to your Azure subscription.<\/li>\n<li>In the left-hand navigation, click <strong>Preview features<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Search for auto delete.<\/li>\n<li>Find <strong>Dev Box Auto Delete Preview<\/strong>, click on it, and register.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\u2728 You&#8217;re now ready to get into the good stuff.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-154221.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1012\" src=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-154221-300x186.png\" alt=\"Screenshot 2025 06 18 154221 image\" width=\"416\" height=\"258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-154221-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-154221-1024x636.png 1024w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-154221-768x477.png 768w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-154221.png 1033w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 416px) 100vw, 416px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>\ud83e\udde0 Step 2: Set Up Auto-Deletion in Your Project<\/h2>\n<p>In your Dev Box project, go to:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Settings<\/strong> &gt; <strong>Dev box settings<\/strong> &gt; <strong>Cost controls<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Enable the checkbox: \u2705 <strong>Automatically delete unused dev boxes<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Then configure your cleanup rules:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Inactivity threshold:<\/strong> The number of days a box can go unused without a remote desktop connection before it\u2019s flagged for deletion.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Grace period:<\/strong> The number of days the developer or admin has to respond before the box is deleted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\ud83d\udc49 Example: If both are set to 7 days, then on Day 8, a notification goes out, and the clock starts ticking for deletion until the end of the second 7 days.<\/p>\n<p>Bonus tip: Want a custom number of days beyond the dropdown? Use the API for full control.<\/p>\n<h2>\ud83d\uded1 Step 3: Cancel Deletions (as an Admin)<\/h2>\n<p>Admins can step in to stop a deletion before it happens:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Navigate to the Dev Box pool with the flagged box.<\/li>\n<li>Click the ellipses (&#8230;) next to the Dev Box.<\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>Cancel deletion<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This helps prevent accidental deletions for the wrong boxes or users.<\/p>\n<h2>\ud83d\ude4b Step 4: Cancel Deletions (as a Developer)<\/h2>\n<p>Don\u2019t panic when you see this in your email:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/AUtodeleteEmail.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1013\" src=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/AUtodeleteEmail-300x186.png\" alt=\"AUtodeleteEmail image\" width=\"300\" height=\"186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/AUtodeleteEmail-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/AUtodeleteEmail.png 624w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s your cue to take action. You\u2019ll also receive an email letting you know your box is scheduled for deletion.<\/p>\n<p>Just click <strong>Keep this dev box<\/strong> from the Dev Box Developer Portal to cancel the deletion and retain your environment.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/DeveloperSkipDeletion.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1014\" src=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/DeveloperSkipDeletion-183x300.png\" alt=\"DeveloperSkipDeletion image\" width=\"183\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/DeveloperSkipDeletion-183x300.png 183w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/DeveloperSkipDeletion.png 261w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 183px) 100vw, 183px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>\ud83e\uddfc Bonus: Admin-Initiated Deletion with Grace Period<\/h2>\n<p>Admins can also manually schedule individual Dev Boxes for deletion without relying on automatic inactivity rules.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Navigate to the Dev Box pool.<\/li>\n<li>Click the ellipses (&#8230;) next to the Dev Box.<\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>Delete with grace period (recommended)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Choose a custom deletion date within the grace period window.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-155036.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1015\" src=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-155036-300x159.png\" alt=\"Screenshot 2025 06 18 155036 image\" width=\"300\" height=\"159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-155036-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-18-155036.png 623w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This option is perfect for offboarding developers during transitions, re-orgs, or departures\u2014giving teams time to respond before the Dev Box is permanently deleted.<\/p>\n<h2>\ud83c\udfaf Why It Matters<\/h2>\n<p>The new offboarding flow helps teams:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Reduce costs by automatically removing stale Dev Boxes<\/li>\n<li>Empower developers to keep the resources they still need<\/li>\n<li>Give admins flexibility and control over cleanup<\/li>\n<li>Prevent surprises through clear notifications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Clean Dev Boxes mean happier budgets and fewer headaches for everyone.<\/p>\n<h2>\ud83d\ude4c\u00a0Keep the Feedback Coming<\/h2>\n<p>Have feedback or want to help shape what\u2019s next? We\u2019re listening. <a href=\"https:\/\/aka.ms\/devbox\/feedback\">Drop your ideas<\/a> and let\u2019s improve Dev Box together. \ud83d\udcac<\/p>\n<p>Interested in trying out Microsoft Dev Box?\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/aka.ms\/devbox\/getstarted\">Start here<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s face it. Sometimes your Dev Box just\u2026 hangs around too long. Whether you\u2019ve moved to a new project, left the company, want to create a new dev box with the latest tools, it&#8217;s time to clean things up. \ud83c\udfaf With Dev Box Auto-Deletion now in public preview, offboarding just got a whole lot easier. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159412,"featured_media":170,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dev-box"],"acf":[],"blog_post_summary":"<p>Let\u2019s face it. Sometimes your Dev Box just\u2026 hangs around too long. Whether you\u2019ve moved to a new project, left the company, want to create a new dev box with the latest tools, it&#8217;s time to clean things up. \ud83c\udfaf With Dev Box Auto-Deletion now in public preview, offboarding just got a whole lot easier. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/159412"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1009"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/develop-from-the-cloud\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}