# Delete \_source field from existing index

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/delete--source-field-from-existing-index/9712>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [November 14, 2012, 9:05am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/delete--source-field-from-existing-index/9712 "2012-11-14T09:05:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shimi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/shimi/32/2620_2.png) [@Shimi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Shimi)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 9:05am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/delete--source-field-from-existing-index/9712/1 "2012-11-14T09:05:58Z")

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Is it possible to delete the \_source field and reclaim the space that is  
being used by already indexed documents?  
The update mapping call : curl -XPUT  
'[http://localhost:9200/index\_name/type1/\_mapping](http://localhost:9200/index_name/type1/_mapping)' -d  
'{"type1":{"\_source":{"enabled":false},"properties":{...}}}'  
doesn't reduce the index size

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**Author:** ![Igor\_Motov](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/igor_motov/32/45193_2.png) [@Igor\_Motov](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Igor_Motov)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/delete--source-field-from-existing-index/9712/2 "2012-11-14T14:29:09Z")

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Once set, mapping can be changed only in a very limited way. For example,  
you can add a new field, but you cannot delete any fields. So, in order to  
disable source, you will need to delete the type that you want to modify  
and reindex your data.

On Wednesday, November 14, 2012 4:05:58 AM UTC-5, Shimi Kiviti wrote:

> Is it possible to delete the \_source field and reclaim the space that is  
> being used by already indexed documents?  
> The update mapping call : curl -XPUT '  
> [http://localhost:9200/index\_name/type1/\_mapping](http://localhost:9200/index_name/type1/_mapping)' -d  
> '{"type1":{"\_source":{"enabled":false},"properties":{...}}}'  
> doesn't reduce the index size

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/delete--source-field-from-existing-index/9712/3 "2017-07-06T03:04:19Z")

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