Stop Validating¶
Introduction¶
If you're ready to stop validating on Polkadot, there are essential steps to ensure a smooth transition while protecting your funds and account integrity. Whether you're taking a break for maintenance or unbonding entirely, you'll need to chill your validator, purge session keys, and unbond your tokens. This guide explains how to use Polkadot's tools and extrinsics to safely withdraw from validation activities, safeguarding your account's future usability.
Pause Versus Stop¶
If you wish to remain a validator or nominator (for example, stopping for planned downtime or server maintenance), submitting the chill extrinsic in the staking pallet should suffice. Additional steps are only needed to unbond funds or reap an account.
The following are steps to ensure a smooth stop to validation:
- Chill the validator
- Purge validator session keys
- Unbond your tokens
Chill Validator¶
When stepping back from validating, the first step is to chill your validator status. This action stops your validator from being considered for the next era without fully unbonding your tokens, which can be useful for temporary pauses like maintenance or planned downtime.
Use the staking.chill extrinsic to initiate this. For more guidance on chilling your node, refer to the Pause Validating guide. You may also claim any pending staking rewards at this point.
Purge Validator Session Keys¶
Purging validator session keys is a critical step in removing the association between your validator account and its session keys, which ensures that your account is fully disassociated from validator activities. The session.purgeKeys extrinsic removes the reference to your session keys from the stash or staking proxy account that originally set them.
Here are a couple of important things to know about purging keys:
- Account used to purge keys - always use the same account to purge keys you originally used to set them, usually your stash or staking proxy account. Using a different account may leave an unremovable reference to the session keys on the original account, preventing its reaping
- Account reaping issue - failing to purge keys will prevent you from reaping (fully deleting) your stash account. If you attempt to transfer tokens without purging, you'll need to rebond, purge the session keys, unbond again, and wait through the unbonding period before any transfer
Unbond Your Tokens¶
After chilling your node and purging session keys, the final step is to unbond your staked tokens. This action removes them from staking and begins the unbonding period (usually 28 days for Polkadot and seven days for Kusama), after which the tokens will be transferable.
To unbond tokens, go to Network > Staking > Account Actions on Polkadot.js Apps. Select your stash account, click on the dropdown menu, and choose Unbond Funds. Alternatively, you can use the staking.unbond extrinsic if you handle this via a staking proxy account.
Once the unbonding period is complete, your tokens will be available for use in transactions or transfers outside of staking.
| Created: October 16, 2024