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If you’ve accidentally switched your AWS account from the free tier to a paid plan, you’re not alone, and there are steps you can take to try and fix this issue. Here’s what you should do to work toward restoring your free tier status and credits.
First, understand that when you set up AWS Organizations or IAM Identity Center (SSO), your account’s billing status can change automatically. If this happened unexpectedly while following a tutorial, don’t worry—these errors are common, and there are ways to address them.
The initial step is to remove the organization if you no longer need it. Log into your AWS console, navigate to the Organizations service, and delete the organization you created. Once the organization is deleted, check if your account returns to a standalone state. Confirm that the IAM Identity Center (SSO) has been reset, and your account is no longer linked to any organization.
Next, contact AWS Support for help. Open a support case explaining your situation clearly and ask if they can manually revert your account back to a free tier plan. Be sure to mention that you didn’t intend to upgrade and still have remaining credits from your initial free tier and milestones. Support may need some time to process your request, so it’s good to be patient.
It’s also helpful to clarify a couple of common questions with support:
– Does deleting the organization automatically restore the free tier? Usually, it does not. Some issues may require manual intervention.
– Can AWS Support manually change your account back to a free tier and restore your credits? They might be able to do this, especially if you explain your circumstances and show that you’ve taken the cleanup steps.
– How long does it typically take to resolve this? Response times vary, but basic support generally responds within a few business days.
– Should you consider upgrading temporarily to Business Support+? Upgrading can give you faster support and chat access, which might help speed up resolution for urgent issues.
This situation is especially frustrating for individual learners, who rely on free credits to explore and build projects. Remember, deleting an organization doesn’t automatically restore your free tier status, but support can help determine if manual restoration is possible.
For now, your best move is to keep all documentation of your steps, be clear and polite with support, and stay patient. If manual restoration isn’t an option, ask support about alternative solutions like setting up a new account and transferring some resources or applying for new free tier credits, if eligible.
Many developers have faced similar issues, so by reaching out to AWS Support with proper details, you’re taking the right steps toward getting your account back on track. Keep learning, use the support channels, and soon you’ll be able to continue building your projects with AWS.




