Not able to delete azure databricks

Question

i tried to delete azure data bricks resource in azure 2 days before, getting an error and status went to deleting, after 2 days still the same issue, status is deleting and getting error while deleting, i am even not able to delete from CLI or PowerShell.

Answer 1

Hi Nagarjuna Reddy,

it sounds like your Azure Databricks workspace deletion got stuck in “Deleting” for a couple of days. That usually happens because Databricks does an asynchronous clean-up of the workspace catalog and its managed resource group (MRG), which is protected by system-level locks. Here’s what you can try:

1. Give it a few more minutes

• Deletion normally takes 5–10 minutes to tear down VNets, VMs, managed disks, etc. If you just verify too early, it may still be cleaning up.

2. Ensure you’re workspace Owner and all clusters are terminated

• Sign in as the workspace creator/owner and confirm no active clusters or jobs remain.

3. Force delete the workspace (and its MRG)

• Azure CLI:

 az databricks workspace delete \

   --name <YourWorkspaceName> \

   --resource-group <YourResourceGroup> \

   --force-deletion \

   --yes  

• PowerShell:

 Remove-AzDatabricksWorkspace \

   -Name <YourWorkspaceName> \

   -ResourceGroupName <YourResourceGroup> \

   -ForceDeletion  

4. Alternatively, delete the entire resource group with a force-deletion type

• Azure CLI:

 az group delete \

   --name <YourResourceGroup> \

   --force-deletion-types Microsoft.Databricks/workspaces \

   --yes  

• PowerShell:

 Remove-AzResourceGroup \

   -Name <YourResourceGroup> \

   -ForceDeletionType Microsoft.Databricks/workspaces \

   -Force  

5. Check for and remove any locks or deny assignments

• In the Azure portal, browse to your resource group → Locks, and delete any ReadOnly or Delete locks.

• Or via CLI: az lock list/delete commands.

6. Cancel a stuck resource-group deletion (if you kicked off RG delete prematurely)

• Azure CLI: az group cancel-deletion --name <YourResourceGroup>

If after all that the workspace still shows “Deleting,” could you share:

• The exact error message you see when running the CLI/PowerShell delete command
• Whether your managed resource group still exists and if you see any locks on it
• The role you’re assigned on the subscription and resource group

That info will help pinpoint any permission issues or hidden locks. Hope this helps get your workspace fully cleaned up!

References

• Delete a workspace (force-delete via CLI/PowerShell/portal): https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/databricks/admin/workspace/delete-workspace?wt.mc_id=azure-cxp-community

• Diagnose and resolve issues with workspace deletion (system deny assignments & async cleanup): https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/databricks/error-messages/error-classes#workspace-deletion-issues

Note: This content was drafted with the help of an AI system. Please verify the information before relying on it for decision-making.

Answer 2

Azure Databricks workspaces can remain in a soft-deleting state for a period and some associated Azure resources are cleaned up immediately, which can cause deletion/update issues that cannot be fixed from the portal, CLI, or PowerShell by normal means.

Key points and actions:

1. Workspace soft-delete behavior
   • When a Databricks workspace is deleted, it enters a soft-deleted state for 7 days before permanent deletion.
   • During this 7‑day period, only Azure Databricks–managed metadata (notebooks, jobs, configs) may be recoverable.
   • Azure resources such as VMs, managed disks, and networking are cleaned up immediately and cannot be restored.
   • Workspace deletion is effectively permanent and restoration is best-effort only, with no SLA.
2. If deletion is stuck in “Deleting”
   • Because the platform controls the soft-delete lifecycle, there is no supported way to “force” the workspace out of the Deleting state from portal/CLI/PowerShell once it is in that state.
   • If the workspace is still visible and operations fail, this typically requires backend intervention by Microsoft support.
3. What to do next
   • Wait for the 7‑day soft-delete retention window to complete. After that, the workspace should be hard-deleted automatically and disappear.
   • If the workspace must be removed sooner, or if it remains stuck beyond 7 days, open a support ticket with Microsoft and provide:
     • Subscription, resource group, workspace name.
     • Approximate time deletion was initiated.
     • Error messages from portal/CLI/PowerShell.
   • Support can investigate and complete the deletion from the service side, similar to other Azure resources that get stuck in a Deleting state.
4. For future deletions
   • Before deleting a workspace, back up notebooks, jobs, DBFS data, and document configuration (cluster policies, ACLs, secret scopes).
   • If using Unity Catalog and needing full cleanup of the workspace catalog and managed resource group at delete time, use one of the supported “force delete” options at the moment of deletion (portal checkbox, Remove-AzDatabricksWorkspace -ForceDeletion, or az databricks workspace delete --force-deletion). These options must be set when initiating deletion; they cannot fix an already-stuck Deleting state.

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References:

• Delete a workspace