Wrong maximum limit of operations applied to API Management Service

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Wrong maximum limit of operations applied to API Management Service

Unverzagt, Peronnik (CYBERDYNE IT GmbH) 0

I recently created an azure api mangement instance using Basic v2 plan

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After importing a first round of third party API definitions I ran into this error message on trying to import a new API:

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According to the Link and current pricing plan the limit on operations for Basic v2 should be 10.000 operations, my current number of operations in the API is 3006.
The error also happens when trying to manually create a single operation.

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Answer 1

Siddhesh Desai 6,555 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @Unverzagt, Peronnik (CYBERDYNE IT GmbH)

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

The behavior you are experiencing is expected and is due to the recently enforced Azure API Management service limits update (March 2026). In the Basic v2 tier, the maximum number of API operations allowed per service is 3000, not 10,000. The confusion typically arises because the 10,000 operations limit applies to the Standard/Standard v2 tier, and older documentation or pricing references might still show outdated values. Additionally, APIM counts operations at the service level, and this includes not only operations but also API versions and revisions, which often increases the total count beyond what is visible at first glance. Once the service reaches the 3000-operation limit, APIM blocks any further operation creation or API imports, which is why you see the error even when trying to add a single operation. [learn.microsoft.com]

Refer below points to resolve this issue or this is the workaround:

Upgrade to Standard v2 tier The recommended approach is to upgrade your APIM instance to Standard v2, which supports up to 10,000 operations per service. This is the most suitable option if you are importing large third-party APIs or expect future growth.
Delete unused APIs / Operations / Revisions Review your existing APIs and remove unnecessary:
- Operations
- API versions and revisions
- Unused imported APIs This helps free up operation count and stay within the 3000 limit.
Split APIs across multiple APIM instances If your API landscape is large, consider distributing APIs across multiple APIM services. This is a common architectural approach to bypass service-level limits.
Optimize API design Reduce operation count by:
- Consolidating endpoints where possible
- Avoiding excessive versioning/revisions
- Refactoring APIs to minimize operation granularity
Validate operation count including hidden entities Ensure you are accounting for all operations including those from API versions and revisions, as these are included in the overall limit calculation and may explain why the limit is reached earlier than expected.

Unverzagt, Peronnik (CYBERDYNE IT GmbH) 0 Reputation points

2026-04-30T15:43:32.9+00:00

Hi,

thank you for your response.

The new api instance limit from March 2026 show the Basic v2 (and Basic) plan to have a limit of 10.000 operations, as also shown on your link to the Microsoft Learn documentation.

The standard tier meanwhile supports 50.000 operations.
Siddhesh Desai 6,555 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-30T16:14:56.48+00:00
Hi @Unverzagt, Peronnik (CYBERDYNE IT GmbH)

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

Please raise a New Issue here: https://github.com/Azure/api-management-developer-portal/issues

The observation you’ve shared from the documentation is valid however, the key point here is that the documentation table you are referring to represents the target/final limits after full rollout, while your service is currently experiencing the enforced limit under the phased rollout (or the effective limit applied to your instance).

There is a known discrepancy during the 2026 rollout phase, where:

Some documentation tables show updated/final limits (e.g., 10,000 for Basic v2)

But actual enforced limits on new or existing services (especially early rollout or specific regions) are still 3,000 operations

Additionally:

Azure API Management explicitly states that limits are rolled out in phases per tier and time window, not instantly applied everywhere [learn.microsoft.com]

In practice, Basic v2 instances (especially newly created ones or in early rollout waves) may still enforce 3,000 as a hard cap

Once this cap is reached, no further operations can be created, regardless of what the “target limit” table indicates

So, your scenario is not a configuration issue it is due to limit enforcement behavior vs documentation alignment during rollout.

Refer below points to resolve this issue or this is the workaround:

Understand effective vs documented limits

Even though documentation shows 10,000 operations, your instance is currently enforcing 3,000, which is the effective limit applied by the platform at this stage. This is expected during phased rollouts and is not something configurable at the service level.

Upgrade to Standard v2 tier

To avoid this limitation immediately, upgrade to Standard v2, which supports higher operation limits (up to 50,000 as shown in your table). This is the most reliable solution for production workloads or large API imports.

Reduce current operation count

As a temporary workaround, you can:

Delete unused APIs / operations

Remove unnecessary revisions and versions (these are included in the count)

This helps bring total operations below 3000 so you can proceed.
Pravallika KV 14,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-06T08:48:15.2666667+00:00

@Unverzagt, Peronnik (CYBERDYNE IT GmbH) , If the resolution was helpful, kindly take a moment to click on and click on Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

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Wrong maximum limit of operations applied to API Management Service

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