How to Suspend, Reactivate and Delete a Hosting Account in Plesk

Written by: Domain Name API Hosting Support Team · Technical review: Domain Name API Hosting / Systems Operations Team · Last updated: 5 October 2026 · Source: official Plesk Obsidian documentation

Screens are representative Plesk Obsidian views with sample data; the menu position can differ slightly depending on your version and reseller permissions. Examples use example.com, Example Customer and exampleuser.

Which should I do: suspend, reactivate or delete?

If the service needs to stop temporarily, suspend it; if the issue is resolved, reactivate it; if the service has definitely ended, take a backup, check the scope, and only then delete. Deleting is not an alternative to suspending.

Key terms

Don't confuse a customer with a subscription

A customer is the customer's Plesk account; a subscription is a single hosting service given to that customer. Because one customer can have several subscriptions, suspending a subscription isn't the same as suspending the customer, and deleting a subscription isn't the same as deleting the customer.

If you only want to stop one of a customer's sites temporarily, look at the relevant subscription, not the customer account.

What does suspending a subscription in Plesk mean?

Suspending a subscription means stopping the hosting service temporarily without deleting it. The subscription stays in Plesk, its status becomes Suspended, and the same subscription can be reopened with Activate whenever needed. According to Plesk's documentation, a status change doesn't remove content on the server such as website files, email, databases and backups.

The effect of a suspension can't be summed up as "everything shuts down": it differs by service, and some effects depend on server and plan configuration. The table below shows the differences.

What happens when a subscription is suspended?

According to Plesk's documentation, the website, FTP and email services of a suspended subscription aren't available to internet users; visitors usually see a "503 Service Temporarily Unavailable" page. Files, mailboxes and databases are kept on the server. The behavior of some services can depend on the Plesk version and server configuration.

How do you suspend a subscription in Plesk?

In the reseller panel, select the subscription in the Subscriptions list and choose Change Status › Suspend. The same action is available from the Suspend link on the subscription's own page. Do the short check below before you start.

• Is it the right customer?
• Is it the right subscription?
• Is it the right domain? (Domains column)
• Does the customer have other subscriptions that shouldn't be affected?
• Is the reason for the suspension correct and recorded?
• Is there critical email or web service?
• Has the customer been notified?
• Is the condition for reopening clear?

• 1 · Subscription: the hosting service you'll act on.
• 2 · Customer: the subscription's owner. The same customer can have other rows.
• 3 · Domains: the domains in the subscription. A suspension affects all of them.
• 4 · Status: Active or Suspended.
• 5 · Change Status: the Suspend and Activate actions.

• 1 · Change Status: changes the selected subscription's status.
• 2 · Suspend: suspends the subscription without deleting it.

• 1 · Suspended: the subscription is suspended; other rows stay Active.
• 2 · Notice: web, FTP and email are unavailable to internet users.

How do I suspend only one of a customer's sites?

If the site is a separate subscription, suspend only that subscription. If the site is an extra domain inside the same subscription as other sites, suspending the subscription stops all of them; in that case it may be better to change only that domain's website status.

This domain-level status change doesn't delete files, email, databases or backups on the server either. The setting is in the domain's hosting settings; if you don't see it in the menu, check your reseller permissions.

Why can a subscription appear suspended on its own?

Plesk suspends subscriptions not only manually but also automatically under certain conditions. Plesk's own documentation names two main causes: expiry (expiration date) and exceeding a resource limit (on plans that don't allow overuse). A suspension at a higher level also affects the subscription.

For resource limits and the overuse policy, see the Plesk Reseller Hosting Resource Usage and Package Limits Guide.

How do you reopen a suspended subscription in Plesk?

Select the suspended subscription in the Subscriptions list and choose Change Status › Activate; the Activate link on the subscription's page does the same. The term in the Plesk interface is "Activate". The subscription's data continues to be used as it was before the suspension.

1. In the Subscriptions list, find the subscription whose Status is Suspended.
2. Check the cause of the suspension: manual, expiry or a resource limit? If it's expiry or a limit, fix that first.
3. Select the row and choose Change Status › Activate.
4. Confirm that the Status column shows Active.
5. Run the post-activation checks below.

• 1 · Change Status: the status menu.
• 2 · Activate: reopens the subscription.

• 1 · Active: the subscription is active again.
• 2 · Next step: test the website, HTTPS, email, database and scheduled tasks.

Active doesn't mean everything works

Even when a subscription shows Active again, test the website and email services separately. Active shows that Plesk has turned the service on; it doesn't prove that the site, application and email work correctly.

• Status in Plesk is Active
• The website loads
• HTTPS works and the certificate is valid
• The application (login, forms, payments) works
• Database connection without errors
• Email sending and receiving test passes
• FTP/SFTP connects if needed
• Scheduled tasks run if needed
• DNS points to the right IP and MX record

Why won't the site load after the subscription is activated?

If the site still doesn't load after Activate, the problem is usually not the suspension but DNS, SSL, the application, the database or resource limits. The table below lists the most common causes of "I activated it and it's still not working".

What does deleting a subscription in Plesk mean?

Deleting a subscription (Remove) means removing the hosting service from Plesk permanently. The subscription's websites, mailboxes and databases are deleted from the server. According to Plesk's documentation, every backup created at subscription level is also deleted from the internal Plesk storage. Plesk has no undo button for this.

What exactly is deleted when a subscription is removed?

When a subscription is deleted, its hosting data is removed from the Plesk server. The domain registration, the Domain Name API product and billing, backups stored outside Plesk and the customer's other subscriptions are outside the scope of this action. The result of some rows depends on server configuration; we've noted these below.

What's the difference between deleting a subscription and deleting a customer?

Deleting a subscription removes one hosting service; deleting a customer removes the customer and every service linked to them. For example, if Customer A has three subscriptions, deleting Subscription 2 removes only that service and its data; deleting Customer A removes all three subscriptions, their domains and the internal backups the customer created.

What does deleting a customer in Plesk mean?

Deleting a customer means removing the customer's Plesk account and every service linked to it. According to the Plesk reseller guide, when a customer account is removed, all subscriptions and domains associated with it are removed as well, and all backups created by the customer are removed from the internal Plesk storage. This is the widest-reaching deletion.

• When? Only when all of the customer's services have ended and each subscription has been backed up and verified separately.
• When not? When only one of the customer's services is ending. In that case, delete only that subscription.
• Path: select the customer in the Customers list and click Remove. To suspend, use Change Status › Suspend; while the customer is suspended, they can't log in to the panel and all their sites are suspended.

How do you take a safe backup before deleting?

Before deleting, take a full backup of the subscription, confirm it has completed and covers the right content, and keep a copy outside the Plesk server. This last step is essential, because deleting a subscription also deletes its internal subscription-level backups.

1. Open the subscription's Backup Manager and start a full backup.
2. Wait for the backup to complete; check its date and status in the list.
3. Check the scope: are web files, databases and email included?
4. Download the backup to your computer or confirm it's in remote storage.
5. If the backup is encrypted, make sure the password is recorded.

For the backup and restore steps in detail, see How to Restore a Backup in Plesk.

Having a backup doesn't mean you're safe

Starting a backup isn't enough. Before deleting, check that the backup really can be restored by asking these questions:

• Has the backup completed, with no errors or warnings?
• Is its date today's date?
• Does it belong to the right subscription?
• Are web files, databases and email included?
• Can the backup be downloaded or accessed in remote storage?
• Is the encryption password known?
• If needed, is it clear where and how it will be restored?

How do you delete a subscription in Plesk?

Select the subscription in the Subscriptions list and click Remove; Plesk asks for confirmation. Before you click Remove, tick every item in the checklist below. If even one item is unclear, don't delete; suspend the subscription and wait if needed.

1. Fill in the information on the check card above and save it as an internal note.
2. In the Subscriptions list, select only the subscription to delete; make sure no other row is selected.
3. Click Remove.
4. In the confirmation window, read the subscription name and customer once more.
5. Confirm.

• 1 · Selected subscription: only the row to delete should be selected.
• 2 · Customer: confirm the customer once more.
• 3 · Remove: starts the permanent deletion.

• 1 · Confirmation window: the last step before a permanent action.
• 2 · Subscription and customer to delete: confirm the names.
• 3 · Confirm button: the data is deleted permanently.
• 4 · Cancel: back out at the slightest doubt.

What should I check after deleting?

Deleting removes the hosting service in Plesk, but your work doesn't end there. Check the domain, DNS, billing and backups separately.

• Has the subscription disappeared from the list?
• Are the customer's other subscriptions Active and intact?
• Is there any unexpected domain or email impact? (if the domain's DNS was on this server, resolution may have stopped)
• Has the customer's service been closed in your own billing system?
• What will happen to the related product and its renewal in the Domain Name API service panel?
• Is the backup you took outside Plesk stored, and is its retention period clear?

Does deleting a hosting subscription in Plesk delete the domain name?

No, deleting the hosting service from Plesk and deleting the domain name's registration at the registrar are different actions. A Plesk subscription represents hosting; the domain registration is held at the registrar and registry, in Domain Name API's domain management. Deleting a subscription in Plesk doesn't automatically delete the domain registration.

Does deleting hosting in Plesk stop billing automatically?

Don't assume that a deletion in Plesk cancels billing. Plesk manages the technical hosting service; the product, order, renewal and billing are managed separately in the Domain Name API service panel and in your own customer billing system. If you're ending a service, check these three places separately.

Suspend or delete?

If the customer isn't leaving the service for good, or it's unclear, suspend. If the service has been ended in writing, determine the right level (subscription or customer), take and verify a backup, and only then delete.

Real-world scenarios

Scenario 1 — The customer hasn't paid

Scenario 2 — Payment received

Scenario 3 — The customer is cancelling hosting completely

Scenario 4 — The customer has 3 subscriptions and is cancelling one

Scenario 5 — The subscription was activated but the site won't load

Scenario 6 — The subscription was suspended automatically

Scenario 7 — The wrong subscription is about to be deleted

Scenario 8 — Hosting will be deleted but the domain stays registered at Domain Name API

I deleted a Plesk subscription by mistake. What should I do?

Whether a deleted subscription can be recovered depends on the available backups and the retention policy of the hosting infrastructure. Before doing anything else, check your existing backups and, if needed, contact our support team.

1. Don't create a new subscription with the same name and don't make other changes.
2. Check the backups you downloaded outside Plesk or keep in remote storage. These aren't affected by the deletion.
3. If you have a backup, restore it following How to Restore a Backup in Plesk.
4. If you have no backup, open a support ticket without delay: the deleted subscription's name, the customer, and the date and time of the deletion.

Because internal subscription-level backups are removed together with the deletion, recovery can't be guaranteed if you don't have a backup you can access.

The most common mistakes

Troubleshooting table

When should I open a support ticket?

Open a support ticket if suspending, reactivating or deleting didn't turn out as expected, if a button isn't visible, if a subscription keeps getting suspended with no cause you can find, or if you deleted something by mistake. Don't lose time after an accidental deletion.

Include in the ticket: the domain, customer, subscription, the action you took (Suspend, Activate, Remove), the date and time, the current status, the full error message and a screenshot.

Frequently asked questions

How do I suspend hosting in Plesk?

In the reseller panel, open the Subscriptions list, select the relevant subscription and choose Change Status › Suspend. Once the status is Suspended, the website, FTP and email become unavailable from the internet while the data stays on the server. Confirm the customer, subscription and domain before you act.

How do I suspend a subscription?

Select the subscription in the Subscriptions list and choose Change Status › Suspend, or use the Suspend link on the subscription's page. The action affects only that subscription; the customer's other subscriptions and customer account keep working.

Is a suspended site deleted?

No. Suspending is a status change and, according to Plesk's documentation, doesn't delete website files, email, databases or backups. The site becomes unavailable to visitors; when the subscription is reopened with Activate, it continues with the same content.

Are a suspended hosting account's files kept?

Yes. During a suspension, files, mailboxes and databases stay on the server. Suspending doesn't delete data; the action that removes data is Remove (delete). For long suspensions it's still good practice to keep a current backup.

Does a suspended hosting account keep receiving email?

When a subscription is suspended, according to Plesk's documentation the email service isn't available to internet users; existing messages are kept. Whether messages sent during the suspension bounce back depends on the mail server configuration. If email needs to keep working, consider changing only the website status instead of the subscription.

Can I connect to a suspended hosting account over FTP?

No, while the subscription is suspended the FTP service isn't available to internet users. Files aren't deleted; FTP access returns when the subscription is reactivated. If only the domain's website status is set to Suspended, FTP access to the files continues.

How do I reopen a suspended subscription?

Select the subscription in the Subscriptions list and use Change Status › Activate. If the suspension was caused by expiry, extend the expiration date first; otherwise the subscription may be suspended again the next day. Then test the site, HTTPS, email and database.

I activated it, so why won't the site load?

The most common causes are a browser or CDN cache, an SSL certificate that couldn't renew during the suspension, a wrong DNS record, an application or database error, and expiry or a resource limit that causes a new suspension. Check the Status column, DNS, the certificate date and the error logs.

What's the difference between a customer and a subscription?

A customer is the customer's Plesk account and owns all of the customer's services. A subscription is one hosting service given to that customer. A customer can have several subscriptions, so actions should usually be taken at subscription level rather than customer level.

What's the difference between suspending a customer and suspending a subscription?

Suspending a subscription stops only that service's web, FTP and email. Suspending a customer suspends all of the customer's sites and prevents the customer from logging in to Plesk. To stop one service, use the subscription level.

What happens if a subscription is deleted?

The subscription's websites, mailboxes, databases, FTP users, scheduled tasks and internal subscription-level Plesk backups are deleted from the server. The customer account and the customer's other subscriptions remain. The domain registration and billing are separate from this action.

What happens if a customer is deleted?

According to the Plesk reseller guide, deleting a customer also deletes all subscriptions and domains linked to it, and removes the backups the customer created from the internal Plesk storage. This is the widest-reaching deletion; do it only when all of the customer's services have ended and each one is backed up.

Are emails deleted when a subscription is deleted?

If email is hosted on this Plesk server, yes: the subscription's mailboxes and the messages in them are deleted. If the domain's MX record points to another email provider, email is kept there and isn't affected by the Plesk deletion. Check the MX record before deleting.

Is the database deleted when a subscription is deleted?

Yes. The subscription's databases and database users are deleted with the subscription. If the database is needed, take a full backup of the subscription or export the database separately before deleting, and keep it outside Plesk.

Is the domain name deleted when hosting is deleted?

No. Deleting a subscription in Plesk removes the hosting service; the domain registration is held separately at the registrar, in Domain Name API's domain management. However, if the domain's DNS is on this Plesk server, the DNS zone is deleted too, so the domain stops resolving and email delivery stops.

Does billing stop when hosting is deleted?

Don't assume so. Plesk manages the technical hosting service; the product, renewal and billing are managed separately in the Domain Name API service panel and in your own billing system. When ending a service, check renewal and cancellation in each of these systems separately.

Do I need a backup before deleting?

Yes. When a subscription is deleted, its internal subscription-level backups are deleted too. So before deleting, take a full backup, confirm it has completed and covers the right content, and keep a copy on your computer or in remote storage.

Do Plesk backups remain after deletion?

Internal Plesk backups created at subscription level are deleted when the subscription is deleted; when a customer is deleted, the customer's backups are removed too. Backups downloaded to your computer or kept in remote storage aren't affected. Retention of server-level backups depends on the hosting infrastructure's policy.

Can hosting deleted by mistake be brought back?

Recovery depends on the available backups and the hosting infrastructure's retention policy. If you have a backup stored outside Plesk, it can be restored. If you don't, open a support ticket right away without making other changes; recovery can't be guaranteed.

Why is a subscription suspended automatically?

In Plesk, the two main causes are expiry and exceeding a resource limit on plans that don't allow overuse. Suspending a customer also suspends all their subscriptions. Your own billing system may also suspend automatically on late payment; check its records.

What's the difference between Suspend and Delete?

Suspend is temporary: the service becomes unavailable from outside but the data is kept, and it reopens with Activate. Delete (Remove) is permanent: the subscription's data and internal subscription-level backups are deleted; only another valid backup can bring them back.

How do I suspend only one of a customer's sites?

If the site is a separate subscription, suspend only that subscription. If the site is an extra domain in the same subscription, set only that domain's website status to Suspended; according to Plesk's documentation, the site then goes offline but email keeps working.

What's the difference between suspending and disabling a website?

At domain level, with Suspended, visitors see a 503 page and email keeps working. With Disabled, visitors see the Plesk login page and the email service doesn't work. Neither deletes files, email or databases on the server.

I activated an expired subscription, so why was it suspended again?

Activate only changes the status; it doesn't fix the expiry. A subscription activated without extending its expiration date may be suspended again the next day. Update the subscription's or plan's expiration date first, then use Activate.

Related guides

• Creating Your First Customer and Subscription in Plesk
• How to Create a Service Plan in Plesk
• Plesk Reseller Hosting Resource Usage and Package Limits
• How to Restore a Backup in Plesk
• How to Migrate a Website to Plesk