---
title: "Stop and start an Auto Scaling Group"
description: "Stop a running TIR Auto Scaling Group to shut down its VMs, then start it again."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "tir-auto-scaling"
platform: "TIR"
url: "/tir/tir-auto-scaling/how-to/stop-and-start-an-auto-scaling-group/"
topic: ["power-and-lifecycle"]
---

# Stop and start an Auto Scaling Group

To save on cost during a quiet period, stop the Auto Scaling Group. The VMs shut
down and you stop paying for their compute. Disks are kept. Starting the group starts its VMs again.

## Before you begin

- A group in the **Running** state to stop, or in the **Stopped** state to start. A group in any
  other state cannot be stopped or started.
- Permission to update VMs in the project. See [TIR Access Control](/tir/tir-iam/).

## Stop a group

1. In **Auto Scaling Groups**, open the **More actions** menu on the group's row, or on the group's
   details page, and select **Stop**. You can stop only a **Running** group.
2. Tick "I understand and want to stop the Auto Scaling Group <name>." and confirm.

The group is **Stopping** until the last VM has shut down, then **Stopped**. Its VMs are halted and
kept with their disks, and billing for compute stops. While the group is **Stopping**, **Stopped** or
**Starting**, its VMs follow the group's state.

## What a stop changes

- Compute billing ends.
- The details page shows "This group is stopped".
- Schedules pause while the group is stopped, and any change they miss is dropped.
- SSH keys can still be changed. See [Manage SSH keys and Security
  Groups](/tir/tir-auto-scaling/how-to/manage-ssh-keys-and-security-groups/).

## Start a group

1. Select **Start**. It is the main button on the details page of a **Stopped** group, and it is in
   the group's row menu.
2. Confirm.

The group is **Starting** while its VMs come up, then **Running**.

If a stop or a start fails, TIR reports "Unable to stop Auto Scaling Group" or "Unable to start
Auto Scaling Group". Contact support with the group name.

To follow the VMs while the group changes state, see [Monitor an Auto Scaling
Group](/tir/tir-auto-scaling/how-to/monitor-an-auto-scaling-group/). To remove a group for good, see
[Delete an Auto Scaling Group](/tir/tir-auto-scaling/how-to/delete-an-auto-scaling-group/). For help
with a failed change, see [Troubleshooting TIR Auto Scaling
Groups](/tir/tir-auto-scaling/troubleshooting/tir-auto-scaling/).