---
title: How to use placement groups
description: This page explains how to use placement groups with Scaleway Instances.
tags: placement-group instance
dates:
  validation: 2025-09-11
  posted: 2021-05-26
---
import Requirements from '@macros/iam/requirements.mdx'


[Placement groups](/instances/concepts/#placement-groups) allow you to define if you want certain Instances to run on different physical hypervisors for maximum availability or as physically close together as possible for minimum latency.

<Requirements />

- A Scaleway account logged into the [console](https://console.scaleway.com)
- [Owner](/iam/concepts/glossary/#owner) status or [IAM permissions](/iam/concepts/glossary/#permission) allowing you to perform actions in the intended Organization
- An [Instance](/instances/how-to/create-an-instance/)

## How to create a placement group

1. Click **CPU & GPU Instances** in the **Compute** section of the side menu. The [Instances page](https://console.scaleway.com/instance/servers) displays.
2. Select the Availability Zone (AZ) from the drop-down menu (e.g., `PAR1`) to view resources in the selected AZ.
3. Click the **Placement groups** tab.
4. Click **Create placement group**. The creation wizard displays.
5. Complete the following steps in the wizard:
    - Enter a **name** for your placement group, or leave the randomly-generated name in place
    - Choose an **Availability Zone**, which is the geographical region where your placement group will be created. You can only add Instances from this same Availability Zone to the placement group
    - Choose the **type** of placement group:
      - **Low Latency** groups ensure that Instances are located as close as possible to each other
      - **Maximum Availability** groups ensure that Instances do not run on the same physical hypervisor
    - Choose the **policy** for your placement group:
      - **Enforced**: if the group cannot be applied, only Instances on hypervisors matching the group settings will boot
      - **Optional**: ensures the application of the placement group's settings wherever possible, but lets Instances boot on hypervisors that do not match the group policy
    - Add **CPU & GPU Instances** to the placement group

    <Message type="important">
      You can only add powered off Instances to a placement group.
    </Message>
6. Click **Create placement group** to finish. Your placement group is created, and you are returned to the list of your placement groups.

## How to add Instances to a placement group

<Message type="important">
  You must power off your Instance to perform this action.
</Message>

1. Select the Availability Zone (AZ) from the drop-down menu (e.g., `PAR1`) to view resources in the selected AZ.
2. Go to the **Placement groups** tab, accessible from the **CPU & GPU Instances** page under the **Compute** section of the side menu. A list of your placement groups displays.
3. Click the placement group you want to add Instances to. You are taken to the **Overview** for that placement group.
4. Click the **CPU & GPU Instances** tab.
5. Use the drop-down menu to select the Instance you want to add, then click **Add Instance**.
    <Message type="note">
      You can add up to 20 Instances to each of your placement groups.
    </Message>

You are returned to the list of Instances attached to your placement group, where the Instance you added now displays. If you wish to power the Instance you added back on, you can do so by clicking <Icon name="more" />, and selecting **Power on** from the drop-down menu.

  <Message type="tip">
    You can also add an Instance to a placement group from the Instances page (accessible by clicking **CPU & GPU Instances** in the **Compute** section of the console side menu). From there, click the name of the Instance in question, then scroll down to the **Placement group** section of the Instance Overview tab. Click **Manage placement group** and select the placement group you want to add the Instance to, confirming your choice when prompted.
  </Message>

## How to remove Instances from a placement group

1. Select the Availability Zone (AZ) from the drop-down menu (e.g., `PAR1`) to view resources in the selected AZ.
2. Go to the **Placement groups** tab, accessible from the **CPU & GPU Instances** page under the **Compute** section of the side menu. A list of your placement groups displays.
3. Click the placement group you wish to remove Instances from. You are taken to the **Overview** for that placement group.
4. Click the **CPU & GPU Instances** tab.
5. Click <Icon name="more" /> next to the Instance you want to remove, then click **Remove**.
6. Confirm that you want to remove the Instance by clicking the **Remove from placement group** button.

    You are returned to the list of Instances attached to your placement group, where the Instance you removed no longer displays.

<Message type="tip">
  You can also remove an Instance from a placement group from the Instances page (accessible by clicking **CPU & GPU Instances** in the **Compute** section of the console side menu). From there, click the name of the Instance, then scroll down to the **Placement group** section of the Instance Overview tab. Click <Icon name="more" /> next to the placement group you want to manage, and select **Remove** from the drop-down menu, confirming your choice when prompted.
</Message>

## How to change an Instance's placement group

<Message type="important">
  You must power off your Instance to perform this action.
</Message>

1. Click **CPU & GPU Instances** in the **Compute** section of the side menu. The [Instances page](https://console.scaleway.com/instance/servers) displays.
2. Select the Availability Zone (AZ) from the drop-down menu (e.g., `PAR1`) to view resources in the selected AZ.
3. Click the name of the Instance you want to edit. The Instance Overview tab displays.
4. Scroll down to **Placement groups**.
5. Click <Icon name="more" /> next to the placement group name, and select **Switch** from the drop-down menu. A pop-up displays.
6. Select another placement group from the drop-down list, then click **Save settings**.

    Your Instance's placement group is changed, and you are returned to the Instance Overview page. If you wish to power the Instance back on, you can do so using the <Icon name="toggle" /> button at the top right of the page.

<Message type="tip">
  You can also switch Instances of a placement group from the Instances page (accessible by clicking **CPU & GPU Instances** in the **Compute** section of the console side menu). From there, click the name of the Instance in question, then scroll down to the **Placement group** section of the Instance Overview tab. Click <Icon name="more" /> next to the placement group you want to switch from, and select **Switch** from the drop-down menu. You are prompted to select a different placement group, and to confirm your choice.
</Message>

## How to modify a placement group's type

<Message type="important">
  You must power off all Instances within a placement group to perform this action.
</Message>
1. Click **CPU & GPU Instances** in the **Compute** section of the side menu. The [Instances page](https://console.scaleway.com/instance/servers) displays.
2. Select the Availability Zone (AZ) from the drop-down menu (e.g., `PAR1`) to view resources in the selected AZ.
3. Go to the **Placement groups** tab, accessible from the **CPU & GPU Instances** page under the **Compute** section of the side menu. A list of your placement groups displays.
4. Click the placement group in question. You are taken to the placement group's Overview tab.
5. Scroll down to the **Placement group type** section, and choose the required type for your group.

The new group type will be applied immediately, and Instances of the group will boot according to the new settings once they are powered back on.

## How to modify a placement group's policy

<Message type="important">
  You must power off all Instances within a placement group to perform this action.
</Message>

1. Click **CPU & GPU Instances** in the **Compute** section of the side menu. The [Instances page](https://console.scaleway.com/instance/servers) displays.
2. Select the Availability Zone (AZ) from the drop-down menu (e.g., `PAR1`) to view resources in the selected AZ.
3. Go to the **Placement groups** tab, accessible from the **CPU & GPU Instances** page under the **Compute** section of the side menu. A list of your placement groups displays.
4. Click the placement group in question. You are taken to the placement group's Overview tab.
5. Scroll down to the **Placement group policy** section, and choose the required policy for your group.

The new group policy will be applied immediately, and Instances of the group will boot according to the new settings once they are powered back on.

## How to delete a placement group

Deleting a placement group will have no direct impact on the Instances attached to it. They will continue to run on their current hypervisors until you reboot them.

1. Click **CPU & GPU Instances** in the **Compute** section of the side menu. The [Instances page](https://console.scaleway.com/instance/servers) displays.
2. Select the Availability Zone (AZ) from the drop-down menu (e.g., `PAR1`) to view resources in the selected AZ.
3. Go to the **Placement groups** tab, accessible from the **CPU & GPU Instances** page under the **Compute** section of the side menu. A list of your placement groups displays.
4. Click <Icon name="more" /> next to the placement group you want to delete, and select **Delete** from the drop-down menu that displays.

   A pop-up appears asking you to confirm this action.
5. Click **Delete placement group**.

    You are returned to the list of your placement groups, where the group you deleted no longer displays.