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Can I Downsize A Vultr Instance Using A Snapshot?

Updated on 20 November, 2025

Explains why downsizing Vultr instances via snapshots isn't possible due to snapshot capturing the entire disk, making size reduction unsafe

No, you cannot downsize a Vultr instance using a snapshot. Snapshots capture the entire disk of the source instance, including the operating system, configuration, and all data. Because the snapshot is a complete disk image, reducing the disk size during restoration is unsafe and can lead to data corruption or loss.

When deploying a new instance using a snapshot as the image, it is recommended to select an instance with a disk size equal to or larger than the original instance. Restoring a snapshot on an existing instance simply overwrites the current disk with the snapshot.

If you need a smaller instance, the recommended approach is:

  1. Restore the snapshot to a temporary instance with the original disk size.
  2. Assess the total data size and provision a new instance with a disk size large enough to accommodate the required data.
  3. Transfer the required data from the temporary instance to the smaller instance using rsync, SCP, or another secure transfer method.
  4. Verify the data integrity on the smaller instance and then decommission the temporary instance.

This ensures your data remains intact while allowing migration to a smaller instance.