---
title: "Run VM power action"
method: POST
path: "/virtual_machines/{virtual_machine_id}/actions"
tags: ["Virtual machines"]
---

# Run VM power action

`POST /virtual_machines/{virtual_machine_id}/actions`

Performs a power action on a given virtual machine:
- `power_on` - Starts the virtual machine
- `power_off` - Stops the virtual machine
- `reboot` - Restarts the virtual machine

`power_on` is never blocked. A `power_off` or `reboot` returns `409 Conflict` when a backup is in progress for the virtual machine.

## Path parameters

- `virtual_machine_id` string, required

## Request body

- object
  - `id` string, required
  - `type` 'virtual_machines', required
  - `attributes` object, required
    - `action` 'power_on' | 'power_off' | 'reboot', required — The action to perform on the virtual machine

## Response `201`

Created

## Other responses

- `409` — Conflict. Returned when a backup is in progress for the virtual machine and a `power_off` or `reboot` is attempted.
- `422` — Unprocessable Entity

## Changes

> 29 revisions in range; 15 could not be searched.

- **2026-08-12** `0fe02e1d8c8c` — 2 info
  - added the non-success response with the status `409`
  - added the non-success response with the status `422`

[Change history](https://skmtc.dev/latitude/apis/latitude-sh-api/changes/virtual_machines/:virtual_machine_id/actions/post.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/latitude/apis/latitude-sh-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/latitude/apis/latitude-sh-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/latitude/latitude-sh-api/revisions/c80535f26dd7/schema)