# Default number of shards clusterwide
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-number-of-shards-clusterwide/139558
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [July 11, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-number-of-shards-clusterwide/139558 "2018-07-11T12:08:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@akhalaiashota](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/akhalaiashota)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-number-of-shards-clusterwide/139558/1 "2018-07-11T12:08:58Z")
hello
I am googling almost 5 hrs and cant find information about how to change default number of shards (which is 5) clusterwide
I know how to set number of shards during index creation or using template or set the number for templates but I need set default number for whole cluster
in old versions I was able control default number of shards and replicas from yml config file but now I cant
and I cant find any information about that
could you help
thnx
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### Author:  [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2018, 12:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-number-of-shards-clusterwide/139558/2 "2018-07-11T12:25:04Z")
You can create an index template which applies to all indices.
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### Author:  [@akhalaiashota](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/akhalaiashota)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2018, 12:29pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-number-of-shards-clusterwide/139558/3 "2018-07-11T12:29:32Z")
thank you for reply
so it's impossible to change the default number which is 5 😑
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### Author:  [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2018, 9:43pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-number-of-shards-clusterwide/139558/4 "2018-07-11T21:43:58Z")
It is. With an index template.
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### Author:  [@zqc0512](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/zqc0512)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-number-of-shards-clusterwide/139558/5 "2018-07-12T01:50:28Z")
2.x can configure in elasticsearch.yml file
5.x as i know only create with the index template.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/default-number-of-shards-clusterwide/139558/6 "2018-08-09T01:50:35Z")
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