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To check whether your Oracle Cloud A1 Free Tier instance was downgraded, inspect its current shape and OCPU and memory allocation in the OCI Console, then compare those values with a record you kept earlier. Oracle documents that A1 Flex allocations can be changed and that idle Always Free instances may be reclaimed; the documentation reviewed does not establish a policy of silently reducing an individual instance’s CPU or RAM.
Check the instance’s current shape and allocation
- In the OCI Console, open Compute → Instances and select the VM you want to check.
- Record the instance’s shape, lifecycle state, OCPUs, and memory as displayed. Note the time or save a screenshot so you have a record of what you observed.
- Confirm whether the shape is
VM.Standard.A1.Flex. A1 Flex is configurable, and Oracle says changing an instance’s shape affects its OCPUs, memory, network bandwidth, and maximum VNIC count. See Oracle’s Changing the Shape of an Instance documentation, updated April 16, 2026. - Compare the current values with an earlier screenshot, Terraform state, instance configuration, or another record you control. Without a prior record, the current allocation alone cannot show whether it changed.
Compare the VM with your tenancy’s Always Free allocation
Oracle’s Always Free A1 allowance is up to 2 OCPUs and 12 GB of memory in total for an Always Free tenancy. That capacity may be split across one or two A1 instances, so check whether other A1 VMs are using part of the allocation. Oracle also publishes monthly quantities of 1,500 OCPU hours and 9,000 GB hours for Always Free A1; these are account-level allowance figures, not a record of the resources assigned to this particular VM. See Oracle’s Always Free Resources.
In the Console, go to Governance & Administration → Tenancy Management → Limits, Quotas and Usage and inspect Compute/A1 usage and limits. Oracle says Always Free compute must be in the tenancy’s home region.
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The limits page reports the limits your tenancy is currently signed up for; it is not a history of each instance’s past OCPU or memory allocation. A1 core and memory quotas can also be scoped by availability domain. Treat these figures as context about account capacity, not proof that one instance was resized. Oracle explains the limits page in Limits by Service and availability-domain scope in Compute Quotas, updated July 15, 2026.
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Distinguish a lower allocation from reclamation or trial expiration
| What you observe | What Oracle documents | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The instance is running, but its displayed OCPUs or memory are lower than your earlier record. | A1 Flex can be resized. The documentation reviewed does not establish that Oracle silently reduces an individual instance’s allocation. | Compare the current shape and allocations with your own earlier record and check for account or resource-change notifications. |
| The instance is idle, stopped, disabled, or no longer available. | Oracle says idle Always Free compute instances may be reclaimed; this is not described as an automatic reduction of the instance’s configured shape. | Check lifecycle state, notifications, and account activity. Low workload alone does not prove reclamation. |
| Your Free Trial ended and A1 provisioning exceeds Always Free limits. | Oracle says existing A1 instances are disabled and then deleted after 30 days unless the account is upgraded. | Check trial status and account notifications, and establish whether the VM is disabled or missing rather than merely configured with fewer resources. |
Oracle’s documented idle criteria apply over a seven-day period: CPU utilization at the 95th percentile below 20%, network utilization below 20%, and, for A1 shapes, memory utilization below 20%. Oracle’s wording is: “Idle Always Free compute instances may be reclaimed by Oracle.” These thresholds describe a possible reclamation condition; they do not show that your VM met it or that Oracle changed its shape. See Always Free Resources.
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What to do if the numbers still do not match
- Keep the instance OCID, region, current shape and allocations, lifecycle state, and the time you checked them.
- Gather any earlier configuration or screenshots and relevant account or resource notifications.
- Check trial status and whether other A1 instances consume part of the tenancy’s Always Free allocation.
- Use that evidence when contacting Oracle support or making an account inquiry. Public documentation describes general behavior, but does not reveal the change history of an individual tenancy.
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