Uninstalling Self Hosted Runner

Overview

GitHub Actions lets you host your own runners for custom build environments. Whether you’re removing a runner at the repository, organization, or enterprise level, this guide walks you through:

• Removing a runner via the GitHub UI
• Cleaning up the runner machine
• Temporarily disabling a runner

Removal Methods at a Glance

1. Removing a Runner via GitHub UI

1. In your repository, go to Settings > Actions > Runners.
2. Locate the runner and click Remove.

For organization or enterprise-level runners:

1. Navigate to Settings > Actions > Runners in your org/enterprise dashboard.
2. Select the runner you wish to uninstall and click Remove.

After confirmation, GitHub permanently deletes the runner entry.

2. Cleaning Up the Runner Machine

Once removed from GitHub, unregister the runner on the VM:

./config.sh remove --token YOUR_RUNNER_TOKEN

Replace YOUR_RUNNER_TOKEN with the token from your initial configuration. This command:

• Unregisters the runner from GitHub
• Deletes local configuration files

Alternatively, use Force remove in the GitHub UI to uninstall the runner application completely.

3. Temporarily Disabling a Runner

To pause job execution without full removal:

1. Shut down the VM or stop the runner service/script.
2. The runner will show as offline and won’t accept new jobs.

GitHub automatically deletes any self-hosted runner that remains offline for more than 30 days, preventing stale entries.

References

• Removing self-hosted runners (GitHub Docs)
• Introduction to GitHub Actions