consul/website/content/docs/k8s/operations/uninstall.mdx

---
layout: docs
page_title: Uninstall
description: Uninstall Consul on Kubernetes
---

# Uninstall Consul

You can uninstall Consul using Helm commands or the Consul K8s CLI.

## Helm commands

Run the `helm delete` **and** manually remove resources that Helm does not delete.

1. First, run `helm delete`:

   ```shell-session
   $ helm delete hashicorp
   release "hashicorp" uninstalled
   ```

1. After deleting the Helm release, you need to delete the `PersistentVolumeClaim`'s
   for the persistent volumes that store Consul's data. These are not deleted by Helm due to a [bug](https://github.com/helm/helm/issues/5156).
   To delete, run:

   ```shell-session
   $ kubectl get pvc -l chart=consul-helm
   NAME                                   STATUS   VOLUME                                     CAPACITY   ACCESS MODES   STORAGECLASS   AGE
   data-default-hashicorp-consul-server-0   Bound    pvc-32cb296b-1213-11ea-b6f0-42010a8001db   10Gi       RWO            standard       17m
   data-default-hashicorp-consul-server-1   Bound    pvc-32d79919-1213-11ea-b6f0-42010a8001db   10Gi       RWO            standard       17m
   data-default-hashicorp-consul-server-2   Bound    pvc-331581ea-1213-11ea-b6f0-42010a8001db   10Gi       RWO            standard       17m

   $ kubectl delete pvc -l chart=consul-helm
   persistentvolumeclaim "data-default-hashicorp-consul-server-0" deleted
   persistentvolumeclaim "data-default-hashicorp-consul-server-1" deleted
   persistentvolumeclaim "data-default-hashicorp-consul-server-2" deleted
   ```

   ~> **NOTE:** This will delete **all** data stored in Consul and it can't be
   recovered unless you've taken other backups.

1. If installing with ACLs enabled, you will need to then delete the ACL secrets:

   ```shell-session
   $ kubectl get secret | grep consul | grep Opaque
   consul-acl-replication-acl-token    Opaque                                1      41m
   consul-bootstrap-acl-token          Opaque                                1      41m
   consul-client-acl-token             Opaque                                1      41m
   consul-connect-inject-acl-token     Opaque                                1      37m
   consul-controller-acl-token         Opaque                                1      37m
   consul-federation                   Opaque                                4      41m
   consul-mesh-gateway-acl-token       Opaque                                1      41m
   ```

   Ensure that the secrets you're about to delete are all created by Consul and not
   created by another user with the word `consul`.

   ```shell-session
   $ kubectl get secret | grep consul | grep Opaque | awk '{print $1}' | xargs kubectl delete secret
   secret "consul-acl-replication-acl-token" deleted
   secret "consul-bootstrap-acl-token" deleted
   secret "consul-client-acl-token" deleted
   secret "consul-connect-inject-acl-token" deleted
   secret "consul-controller-acl-token" deleted
   secret "consul-federation" deleted
   secret "consul-mesh-gateway-acl-token" deleted
   secret "consul-gossip-encryption-key" deleted
   ```

1. If installing with `controller.enabled` then you will need to delete the
   webhook certificate:

   ```shell-session
   $ kubectl get secret consul-controller-webhook-cert
   NAME                             TYPE                DATA   AGE
   consul-controller-webhook-cert   kubernetes.io/tls   2      47m
   ```

   ```shell-session
   $ kubectl delete secret consul-controller-webhook-cert
   secret "consul-consul-controller-webhook-cert" deleted
   ```

1. If installing with `tls.enabled` then there will be a `ServiceAccount`
   that is left behind:

   ```shell-session
   $ kubectl get serviceaccount consul-tls-init
   NAME              SECRETS   AGE
   consul-tls-init   1         47m
   ```

   ```shell-session
   $ kubectl delete serviceaccount consul-tls-init
   serviceaccount "consul-tls-init" deleted
   ```

## Consul K8s CLI

Issue the `consul-k8s uninstall` command to remove Consul from Kubernetes.

```shell-session
$ consul-k8s uninstall <OPTIONS>
```

You can specify the installation name, namespace, and data retention behavior using the applicable options.

In the following example, Consul will be uninstalled and the data removed without prompting you to verify the operations:

```shell-session
$ consul-k8s uninstall -auto-approve=true -wipe-data=true
```

Refer to the [Consul K8s CLI reference](/docs/k8s/k8s-cli#uninstall) topic for details.