Reactivate API Management

Question

Hello

The API Management service has the status Stopped. I would like to reactivate it.

This happened because the invoice was not paid on time. I managed to reactivate all services except API Management. Everything I try to do, it returns an error saying that the service is disabled.

I tried to open a support ticket but couldn't.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello @Lucas A

Thank you for confirming that you issue is resolved. As mentioned in private message, your instance was in soft-delete state when I checked logs from backend. So purging it and re-creating it will work.

Please reach out to us in case of any further queries.

Thanks,

Aditya

Answer 2

Hi Lucas,

I’ve run into this before, and unfortunately API Management behaves differently from other services when a subscription goes into a disabled state.

Once APIM enters Stopped/Disabled due to billing, it cannot be restarted from the portal, CLI, or ARM. The control plane is locked.

The only way APIM can be reactivated is through Microsoft support, because they have to flip the backend state on the resource.

Since your subscription was already reactivated and everything else came back except APIM, this confirms the resource is stuck in the “disabled by billing” backend flag and only the Azure billing/support team can clear it.

Your next step is to open a Billing → Subscription Management support ticket. That’s the path that bypasses the APIM support requirement and actually reaches the team that can flip the state.

Tell them the APIM resource is stuck in “Stopped/Disabled” after subscription reactivation and needs a backend unblock. They’ll fix it on their side.