open-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 specific installation name, namespace, etc. using the applicable options. Refer to the [Consul K8s CLI reference](/docs/k8s/k8s-cli#uninstall) topic for details.