Delete an Archive from a Vault in Amazon Glacier by Using the Amazon SDK for Java - Amazon Glacier
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This page is only for existing customers of the Amazon Glacier service using Vaults and the original REST API from 2012.

If you're looking for archival storage solutions, we recommend using the Amazon Glacier storage classes in Amazon S3, S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval, S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval, and S3 Glacier Deep Archive. To learn more about these storage options, see Amazon Glacier storage classes.

Amazon Glacier (original standalone vault-based service) will no longer accept new customers starting December 15, 2025, with no impact to existing customers. Amazon Glacier is a standalone service with its own APIs that stores data in vaults and is distinct from Amazon S3 and the Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes. Your existing data will remain secure and accessible in Amazon Glacier indefinitely. No migration is required. For low-cost, long-term archival storage, Amazon recommends the Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes, which deliver a superior customer experience with S3 bucket-based APIs, full Amazon Web Services Region availability, lower costs, and Amazon service integration. If you want enhanced capabilities, consider migrating to Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes by using our Amazon Solutions Guidance for transferring data from Amazon Glacier vaults to Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes.

Delete an Archive from a Vault in Amazon Glacier by Using the Amazon SDK for Java

The following code example uses the Amazon SDK for Java to delete the archive. In the code, note the following:

  • The DeleteArchiveRequest object describes the delete request, including the vault name where the archive is located and the archive ID.

  • The deleteArchive API operation sends the request to Amazon Glacier to delete the archive.

  • The example uses the US West (Oregon) Region (us-west-2).

For step-by-step instructions on how to run this example, see Running Java Examples for Amazon Glacier Using Eclipse. You must update the code as shown with the archive ID of the file that you uploaded in Step 3: Upload an Archive to a Vault in Amazon Glacier.

Example — Deleting an Archive by Using the Amazon SDK for Java
import java.io.IOException;

import com.amazonaws.auth.profile.ProfileCredentialsProvider;
import com.amazonaws.services.glacier.AmazonGlacierClient;
import com.amazonaws.services.glacier.model.DeleteArchiveRequest;

public class AmazonGlacierDeleteArchive_GettingStarted {

    public static String vaultName = "examplevault";
    public static String archiveId = "*** provide archive ID***";
    public static AmazonGlacierClient client;
    
    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
        
    	
    	ProfileCredentialsProvider credentials = new ProfileCredentialsProvider();

        client = new AmazonGlacierClient(credentials);
        client.setEndpoint("https://glacier.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/");        

        try {

            // Delete the archive.
            client.deleteArchive(new DeleteArchiveRequest()
                .withVaultName(vaultName)
                .withArchiveId(archiveId));
            
            System.out.println("Deleted archive successfully.");
            
        } catch (Exception e) {
            System.err.println("Archive not deleted.");
            System.err.println(e);
        }
    }
}