Uninstalling Self Hosted Runner

In this guide, you’ll learn how to remove a GitHub Actions self-hosted runner at the repository, organization, or enterprise level. You can either delete it via the GitHub UI or clean up directly on the runner host using the configuration script.

Removing a Runner via the GitHub UI

1. Navigate to your repository’s Settings > Actions > Runners.
2. Click the runner you want to remove.

3. On the runner details page, click Remove.

Cleaning Up the Runner Host

After deleting the runner in the UI, you may want to wipe its local installation, especially if you plan to repurpose the machine.

Using the Configuration Script

Run the config.sh remove command on the host. Replace <TOKEN> with the token shown in your runner settings.

./config.sh remove --token BDEP64UGVZVU2AQTIMJUN3FG7ZKU --unattended

This command will:

• Uninstall the runner application
• Remove configuration files
• Unregister the runner from GitHub

Stopping the Runner Process Manually

If you skip the config script, simply terminate the running service or process (e.g., run.sh). The runner will appear as offline in GitHub and will not accept new jobs.

According to the GitHub documentation, any self-hosted runner offline for over 14 days is automatically removed.

Removing a Runner at Organization or Enterprise Level

The steps are identical for organization or enterprise runners:

1. Go to Organization Settings or Enterprise Settings > Actions > Runners.
2. Select the runner and click Remove.
3. On the runner host, run the same config.sh remove command or stop the service.

Comparison of Removal Methods

References

• GitHub Actions: Removing Self-Hosted Runners
• GitHub Actions Administration