---
name: "clReleaseDevice"
section: "3clc"
platform: "linux"
package: "opencl-1.2-man-doc"
version: "1.0~svn33624-5.1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/clReleaseDevice"
---

# clReleaseDevice(3clc)

Decrements the device reference count.

## NAME

clReleaseDevice - Decrements the device reference count.

##

**cl\_int clReleaseDevice(cl\_device\_id** *device***);**

## NOTES

Decrements the *device* reference count if device is a valid sub-device created by a call to [**clCreateSubDevices**(3clc)](/clCreateSubDevices/3clc.md). If *device* is a root level device i.e. a **cl\_device\_id** returned by [**clGetDeviceIDs**(3clc)](/clGetDeviceIDs/3clc.md), the *device* reference count remains unchanged.

After the *device* reference count becomes zero and all the objects attached to *device* (such as command-queues) are released, the *device* object is deleted.

## ERRORS

Returns CL\_SUCCESS if the function is executed successfully. Otherwise, it returns one of the following errors:

• CL\_INVALID\_DEVICE if *device* is not a valid sub-device created by a call to [**clCreateSubDevices**(3clc)](/clCreateSubDevices/3clc.md).

• CL\_OUT\_OF\_RESOURCES if there is a failure to allocate resources required by the OpenCL implementation on the device.

• CL\_OUT\_OF\_HOST\_MEMORY if there is a failure to allocate resources required by the OpenCL implementation on the host.

## SPECIFICATION

**OpenCL Specification**\[1\]

## SEE ALSO

[**clCreateSubDevices**(3clc)](/clCreateSubDevices/3clc.md), [**clGetDeviceIDs**(3clc)](/clGetDeviceIDs/3clc.md), [**clRetainDevice**(3clc)](/clRetainDevice/3clc.md)

## AUTHORS

**The Khronos Group**

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2007-2011 The Khronos Group Inc.\
 Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and/or associated documentation files (the "Materials"), to deal in the Materials without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Materials, and to permit persons to whom the Materials are furnished to do so, subject to the condition that this copyright notice and permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Materials.

## NOTES

- 1\.

  OpenCL Specification

  page 52, section 4.3 - Partitioning a Device