CostLensOrphaned Disk Snapshot (Azure)
Orphaned Disk Snapshot (Azure)
CostLens finds Azure disk snapshots whose source managed disk no longer exists — a backup of something already deleted.
Updated July 20261 min read
CostLens finds orphaned Azure disk snapshots — snapshots whose source managed disk no longer exists. These silently accrue storage charges long after the disk they backed up was deleted.
Deletion is irreversible
Deleting a snapshot permanently destroys it. CostLens shows this as an irreversible fix and cannot roll it back. Keep the snapshot if it's a deliberate long-term backup.
How it works
Snapshots are enumerated
CostLens lists snapshots via the Azure Resource Manager API and resolves each snapshot's creationData.sourceResourceId.
Orphans are flagged
Snapshots whose source disk no longer exists are surfaced, priced at their stored size.
What to do
- Confirm the snapshot isn't part of a retention policy or DR plan you still rely on.
- Delete it to stop the charge — via CostLens Apply Fix (irreversible) once write access is granted, or in the Azure portal.
Severity levels
| Severity | Estimated monthly savings |
|---|---|
| critical | >$500 |
| high | $100–$500 |
| medium | $20–$100 |
| low | <$20 |
Required permissions
- Detect:
Reader— see Azure Accounts. - Apply Fix (delete): a write role with
Microsoft.Compute/snapshots/delete.
Limitations
- Only snapshots whose source disk is confirmed missing are flagged; snapshots of existing disks are left alone.