Spontaneous removal of bubbles from flat and microstructured Pt-coated surfaces was studied to understand the role of surface structure in preventing gas phase fouling of electrodes. Bubble nucleation, growth, and release were observed on flat and micropillar surfaces. On the micropillars a capillary instability releases the bubble from within the structure. This instability reduces the buoyancy force required for complete detachment of the bubble as compared to a flat surface. Numerical calculations of the critical bubble volume for release as well as the evolution of bubble morphologies during growth agree with the observations made in our laboratory experiments.