---
title: "Clean up unused images"
description: "Remove untagged images from a whole Container Registry project with Image Cleanup, on a daily or weekly schedule or when you choose."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "container-registry"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/container-registry/how-to/clean-up-unused-images/"
topic: ["lifecycle"]
relationships: {"requires":["/myaccount/container-registry/how-to/create-a-registry-project/"]}
---

# Clean up unused images

Image Cleanup removes every untagged image from every repository in a registry project, and keeps
every tagged image. An image loses its tag when you push another image with the same tag, so a
project that you push to often gathers untagged images. Run cleanup on a schedule, or when you
choose.

## Before you begin

This works on a registry project that reads **Created**. If you are a team member, you also need a
role with the update and delete permissions for Container Registry. See [Create a registry
project](/myaccount/container-registry/how-to/create-a-registry-project/). To keep an image, keep a
tag on it: cleanup always protects tagged images.

## Open Image Cleanup

In MyAccount, under **Storage**, click **Container Registry**, click your project, and open its
**Image Cleanup** tab.

## Schedule automatic cleanup

Under **Auto-Cleanup Schedule**, choose a **Schedule**, and click **Save Schedule**:

- **Off**: cleanup runs only when you start it. A new project starts at **Off**.
- **Daily**: cleanup runs at 00:00 UTC every day. Choose this for a project you push to every day,
  such as one a build system pushes to.
- **Weekly**: cleanup runs at 00:00 UTC every Sunday. Choose this for a project you push to now and
  then.

Under the schedule, **Last Execution** and **Last Manual Execution** show when cleanup last ran, or
**Never**.

## See what cleanup would remove

1. Under **Manual Cleanup**, click **Dry Run**. **Simulate Cleanup** opens.
2. Click **Run Simulation**. Cleanup records what it would remove, and deletes nothing.

The dry run appears in **Execution History** as its own row, with **Status** **Success**,
**Trigger** **MANUAL**, and **Dry Run** **Yes**. Click the row to see each repository's **Status**,
**Total Processed**, and **Retained**.

## Delete untagged images now

Deleting untagged images cannot be undone. Run a dry run first to see what goes.

1. Under **Manual Cleanup**, click **Delete Untagged Images**. **Confirm Image Cleanup** opens and
   says **This action cannot be undone.**
2. Click **Delete**.

The run appears in **Execution History**, and **Last Manual Execution** shows when it ran.

## Review past runs

**Execution History** lists each run with its **ID**, **Status**, **Trigger**, **Dry Run**,
**Start Time**, and **End Time**. The schedule runs at 00:00 UTC, and **Start Time** and
**End Time** show in your local time, so a scheduled run in India starts at about 5:30 AM. Click a
run to see each repository's **Status**, **Total Processed**, and **Retained**. With no runs yet,
the list says **No cleanup executions yet.**

Your project now keeps only the images you tagged. **Storage Used** on the **Image Cleanup** tab
goes down right away. Each month is billed on its peak, so the next month's bill starts from the
smaller size. To remove a tagged image or a whole repository, see
[Delete a project, repository, or artifact](/myaccount/container-registry/how-to/delete-a-project-repository-or-artifact/).