---
name: "zfs-hold"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "zfsutils-linux"
version: "2.3.9-0+deb13u1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/zfs-hold"
---

# zfs-hold(8)

hold ZFS snapshots to prevent their removal

## NAME

**zfs-hold** – hold ZFS snapshots to prevent their removal

## SYNOPSIS

**zfs** **hold** \[**-r**\] *tag* *snapshot*…

**zfs** **holds** \[**-rHp**\] *snapshot*…

**zfs** **release** \[**-r**\] *tag* *snapshot*…

## DESCRIPTION

-

  **zfs** **hold** \[**-r**\] *tag* *snapshot*… Adds a single reference, named with the *tag* argument, to the specified snapshots. Each snapshot has its own tag namespace, and tags must be unique within that space.

  If a hold exists on a snapshot, attempts to destroy that snapshot by using the **zfs** **destroy** command return **EBUSY**.

  - **-r**

    Specifies that a hold with the given tag is applied recursively to the snapshots of all descendent file systems.

-

  **zfs** **holds** \[**-rHp**\] *snapshot*… Lists all existing user references for the given snapshot or snapshots.

  - **-r**

    Lists the holds that are set on the named descendent snapshots, in addition to listing the holds on the named snapshot.

  - **-H**

    Do not print headers, use tab-delimited output.

  - **-p**

    Prints holds timestamps as Unix epoch timestamps.

-

  **zfs** **release** \[**-r**\] *tag* *snapshot*… Removes a single reference, named with the *tag* argument, from the specified snapshot or snapshots. The tag must already exist for each snapshot. If a hold exists on a snapshot, attempts to destroy that snapshot by using the **zfs** **destroy** command return **EBUSY**.

  - **-r**

    Recursively releases a hold with the given tag on the snapshots of all descendent file systems.

## SEE ALSO

[zfs-destroy(8)](/zfs-destroy/8.md)