# Change indices.memory.index\_buffer\_size on a working elasticsearch cluster

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/change-indices-memory-index-buffer-size-on-a-working-elasticsearch-cluster/281737>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [August 17, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/change-indices-memory-index-buffer-size-on-a-working-elasticsearch-cluster/281737 "2021-08-17T18:08:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Voula\_Mikr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/voula_mikr/32/58451_2.png) [@Voula\_Mikr](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Voula_Mikr)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/change-indices-memory-index-buffer-size-on-a-working-elasticsearch-cluster/281737/1 "2021-08-17T18:08:53Z")

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Hi,

Is there any way to change indices.memory.index\_buffer\_size on a working elasticsearch cluster?  
Is that possible through an API?  
Thank you in advance.

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**Author:** ![stephenb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/stephenb/32/40856_2.png) [@stephenb](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/stephenb)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 6:33pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/change-indices-memory-index-buffer-size-on-a-working-elasticsearch-cluster/281737/2 "2021-08-17T18:33:10Z")

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Looks like these settings are static which means the can only be applied to an unstarted or shut down node, so no they can not be set via an API only via `elasticsearch.yml`

See [here](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/indexing-buffer.html#indexing-buffer)

> ## 
> 
> Indexing buffer settings
> 
> The indexing buffer is used to store newly indexed documents. When it fills up, the documents in the buffer are written to a segment on disk. It is divided between all shards on the node.
> 
> The following settings are _static_ and must be configured on every data node in the cluster:
> 
> `indices.memory.index_buffer_size`
> 
> ([Static](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/settings.html#static-cluster-setting)) Accepts either a percentage or a byte size value. It defaults to `10%` , meaning that `10%` of the total heap allocated to a node will be used as the indexing buffer size shared across all shards.
> 
> `indices.memory.min_index_buffer_size`
> 
> ([Static](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/settings.html#static-cluster-setting)) If the `index_buffer_size` is specified as a percentage, then this setting can be used to specify an absolute minimum. Defaults to `48mb` .
> 
> `indices.memory.max_index_buffer_size`
> 
> ([Static](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/settings.html#static-cluster-setting)) If the `index_buffer_size` is specified as a percentage, then this setting can be used to specify an absolute maximum. Defaults to unbounded.

Are Static see [here](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/settings.html#static-cluster-setting)

> Static
> 
> Static settings can only be configured on an unstarted or shut down node using `elasticsearch.yml` .
> 
> Static settings must be set on every relevant node in the cluster.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DavidTurner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/davidturner/32/22453_2.png) [@DavidTurner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/DavidTurner)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 6:39pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/change-indices-memory-index-buffer-size-on-a-working-elasticsearch-cluster/281737/3 "2021-08-17T18:39:34Z")

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> [@stephenb](#):
>
> the can only be applied to an unstarted or shut down node

... but you don't have to shut the whole cluster down to set them, you can use a [rolling restart](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/restart-cluster.html#restart-cluster-rolling) to adjust them with no downtime.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![stephenb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/stephenb/32/40856_2.png) [@stephenb](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/stephenb)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 6:43pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/change-indices-memory-index-buffer-size-on-a-working-elasticsearch-cluster/281737/4 "2021-08-17T18:43:42Z")

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Thanks @DavidTurner

Shoot ... pretty important part I left out! I think that is the actual question from the OP...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/change-indices-memory-index-buffer-size-on-a-working-elasticsearch-cluster/281737/5 "2021-09-14T18:44:34Z")

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