GlobalTableNotFoundException

TL;DR — DescribeGlobalTable / UpdateGlobalTable only see version 2017.11.29 (Legacy) global tables. A global table built on version 2019.11.21 (Current) — which is what you should be using — is managed as a regular table with replicas through DescribeTable / UpdateTable, and the legacy APIs report it as not existing. Check which version you're on before assuming the table is gone.

What it means

GlobalTableNotFoundException: The specified global table does not exist.

DynamoDB has two global-table generations with two disjoint API surfaces. The legacy (2017.11.29) generation registers a named "global table" object that DescribeGlobalTable, UpdateGlobalTable, and UpdateGlobalTableSettings operate on. The current (2019.11.21) generation has no such object — replicas live on the table itself — so those legacy calls answer with this exception even though your table replicates perfectly well.

Why it happens

• The table is a current-version (2019.11.21) global table — by far the usual cause: the legacy API simply doesn't index it.
• No global table was ever created under that name — the table exists but has no replicas, or replication setup failed earlier.
• Wrong Region or a name typo — the legacy global-table registration is looked up by exact name.

How to fix it

1. Determine the version:

   aws dynamodb describe-table --table-name orders \
     --query 'Table.GlobalTableVersion'
   # "2019.11.21" → use DescribeTable/UpdateTable, not the legacy APIs

2. Manage current-version replicas through UpdateTable:

   aws dynamodb update-table --table-name orders \
     --replica-updates '[{"Create": {"RegionName": "eu-west-1"}}]'

   and inspect them with describe-table (the Replicas field) instead of describe-global-table.

3. On legacy tooling? If you genuinely operate 2017.11.29 global tables, verify the name and Region of the registration — and plan the upgrade to 2019.11.21, which AWS recommends for flexibility and lower replicated-write cost.

4. Creating from scratch: create the table, then add replicas via UpdateTable — don't reach for CreateGlobalTable (legacy) in new code.

Checking replica health across Regions is quicker with the tables side by side — the DynoTable desktop app connects to every Region from one window, and the DynamoDB pricing calculator estimates replicated write costs before you add a replica.

Related errors

• Global table version mismatch — the same two-generations split, hit from the upgrade path.
• ReplicaNotFoundException — the Region isn't part of the replication group.
• ReplicaAlreadyExistsException — the Region already is.
• Learn: DynamoDB global tables

References

• UpdateGlobalTable — Amazon DynamoDB API Reference
• DynamoDB global tables versions (determining the version) — Amazon DynamoDB Developer Guide
• UpdateTable — Amazon DynamoDB API Reference
• CreateGlobalTable — Amazon DynamoDB API Reference

Last verified 2026-07-13 against the official AWS documentation linked above.