---
title: "[Contentstack Launch] - Instant Rollbacks on Launch"
description: Instant Rollbacks on Launch allow you to revert your application to a selected previous successful deployment without triggering a rebuild.
url: https://www.contentstack.com/docs/launch/instant-rollbacks
product: Contentstack Launch
doc_type: feature-guide
audience:
  - developers
  - devops
  - release-managers
version: beta
last_updated: 2026-05-12
---

# [Contentstack Launch] - Instant Rollbacks on Launch

This page explains how Instant Rollbacks work in Contentstack Launch, including eligibility, retention windows, and how to perform a rollback. It is intended for teams managing deployments who need a fast way to revert to a previous successful deployment without rebuilding.

## Instant Rollbacks on Launch

Instant Rollbacks on Launch allow you to **revert your application to a selected previous successful deployment** without triggering a rebuild.

**Note:** Instant Rollbacks feature is currently available as a ***beta*** release and supports only AWS regions. During the beta period, the rollback retention window is limited to **1 deployment** across all plans. The full release with expanded retention windows and broader region support is expected in the coming weeks.

Use Instant Rollbacks to:
- Recover quickly from problematic releases
- Reduce downtime
- Maintain application stability

## How Instant Rollbacks Work

Every deployment on Launch goes through the following lifecycle:
- **QUEUED → DEPLOYING → LIVE:** Normal deployment flow.
- **FAILED or CANCELLED:** Deployment did not complete successfully and **cannot be used for rollback**.
- **ARCHIVED:** When a new deployment goes LIVE, the previous LIVE deployment becomes ARCHIVED. These ARCHIVED deployments are the **only candidates for rollback**.

When a new deployment goes LIVE:
- The previous LIVE deployment becomes **ARCHIVED**.
- A limited number of recent **ARCHIVED **deployments are available for rollback.

## Rollback Eligibility

You can roll back only to deployments that meet all of the following conditions:

| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| ARCHIVED state | Only previously LIVE deployments (now archived) can be used for rollback. |
| Within the retention window | Only a limited number of recent deployments are retained based on your plan. |
| Infrastructure is still available | The deployment's assets and resources must still exist. Older deployments may be cleaned up automatically. |

## Retention Window

Launch retains a limited number of previous deployments for rollback. Only deployments within this window are available for rollback.

The following Rollback Retention window tiers are available on Launch:

| Rollback Tier | Retention Window Count |
|---|---:|
| Free (Default) | 1 |
| Self-Serve | 3 |
| Enterprise | 5 |

The Retention window starts with Free Tier by default, but you can request an upgrade in the plan as per the use case.

To request a tier change, contact your Contentstack account representative.

**Note:** After modifying the tier, the updated retention window takes effect starting from the next deployment. Contentstack does not retroactively adjust previously retained deployments.

## Performing a Rollback

To perform a rollback, follow the steps below:
- On your Deployments screen, click **Rollback Deployment**.
- In the modal that appears, select an eligible previous deployment and click **Review Rollback**.
- You can enter the reason for rollback, if any. Then click **Confirm & Roll Back** to proceed with the rollback.

You can find the rollback details as shown below:
- **Deployment History**
- **Current Deployment**
- **Rolled Back Deployment**

## What Happens During Rollback

- **Your application is restored to a previous working version:** The selected deployment becomes the active version of your site.
- **The current version is preserved:** The version you were using is not lost and can be accessed again if needed.
- **Traffic is redirected promptly:** Users start seeing the restored version within seconds.
- **Cached content is refreshed:** Any cached content is updated to ensure users see the correct version.

**Note:** Auto-deployments triggered by commits, webhooks, or automations continue to run during a rollback. We recommend disabling them before you begin to avoid unintended deployments.

## Failure Handling

The rollback process includes the following safeguards:
- **If the selected deployment is not eligible, the rollback does not start:**
This prevents switching to an invalid or incomplete version.
- **If something goes wrong during rollback, your site remains stable:**
Launch ensures that your application continues serving a consistent version and avoids partial or broken states.

## Common questions

### Does an Instant Rollback trigger a rebuild?
No. Instant Rollbacks on Launch allow you to revert your application to a selected previous successful deployment without triggering a rebuild.

### Which deployments can be used for rollback?
Only deployments in the **ARCHIVED** state (previously LIVE deployments that are now archived) can be used for rollback.

### When does a retention tier change take effect?
After modifying the tier, the updated retention window takes effect starting from the next deployment. Contentstack does not retroactively adjust previously retained deployments.

### Should auto-deployments be disabled before rolling back?
Auto-deployments triggered by commits, webhooks, or automations continue to run during a rollback. We recommend disabling them before you begin to avoid unintended deployments.