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**Note:** If you receive errors when you run AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) commands, then see [Troubleshoot AWS CLI errors](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-chap-troubleshooting.html). Also, make sure that [you're using the most recent AWS CLI version](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/getting-started-install.html).

You can't delete CloudWatch metrics. Metrics expire based on [retention schedules](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/monitoring/cloudwatch_concepts.html#metrics-retention).

Metrics that didn't have any new data points in the previous two weeks are removed from the CloudWatch console. They don't appear when you type the metric name or dimension name in the search box of the **All metrics** tab in the console. The metrics also aren't included in the output when you run the **list-metrics** AWS CLI command.

The data is stored for 15 months. To query the metrics, run the [get-metric-data](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/cloudwatch/get-metric-data.html) or [get-metric-statistics](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/cloudwatch/get-metric-statistics.html) commands.

**Note:** AWS offers pay-as-you-go pricing. A fee is charged only when new data points are pushed to your metrics.

To have metrics reappear on the console, publish new data points to the metrics with the metric name, namespace, and dimensions.

"To have metrics reappear on the console, publish new data points to the metrics with the metric name, namespace, and dimensions."

Could you please explain this bit further, if possible? Thanks!

Thank you for your comment. We'll review and update the Knowledge Center article as needed.

The answer given is quite clear, any metrics that do not have data points for the last 2 weeks will disappear from the console display, this means when you brows metrics you will no longer see the metric in the available ones to select.

One you them publish a datapoint\value to a given metric it will then reappear in the list of metrics to select and use.

I want to delete a metric in Amazon CloudWatch.

How do I delete a metric in CloudWatch?

Management & Governance

How do I delete a metric in CloudWatch?

Resolution

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