# Disable shield plugin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [August 26, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070 "2015-08-26T07:14:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tarunsapra](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/tarunsapra/32/3903_2.png) [@tarunsapra](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/tarunsapra)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/1 "2015-08-26T07:14:25Z")
Hi All, I installed the shield plugin few days back and currently I am evaluating it, is there a way to completely disable the plugin instead of removing it? Thanks, ---
**Author:** ![mvg](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/mvg/32/98890_2.png) [@mvg](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/mvg)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 7:45am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/2 "2015-08-26T07:45:01Z")
you can configure the following in the elasticsearch.yml file: shield.enabled: false This will prevent the plugin from loading. ---
**Author:** ![apt275](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9e8a1a/32.png) [@apt275](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/apt275)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/3 "2016-06-06T13:50:20Z")
this does not work with elasticsearch 2.3.1, i get Exception in thread "main" SettingsException[Failed to load settings from [elasticsearch.yml]]; nested: ScannerException[while scanning a simple key in 'reader', line 39, column 1: shield.enabled:false ^ could not find expected ':' in 'reader', line 40, column 1: shield: ^ ]; Likely root cause: while scanning a simple key in 'reader', line 39, column 1: shield.enabled:false ^ could not find expected ':' in 'reader', line 40, column 1: shield: ^ ---
**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 2:20pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/4 "2016-06-06T14:20:09Z")
I think (unsure though) that you are missing a space after the comma: `shield.enabled: false`. ---
**Author:** ![sampathkumar23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@sampathkumar23](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/sampathkumar23)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 10:47pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/5 "2016-12-22T22:47:58Z")
Is there a way to disable shield using API? ---
**Author:** ![sampathkumar23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@sampathkumar23](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/sampathkumar23)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/6 "2016-12-22T22:48:24Z")
Just wanted to check if is there a way to disable shield using API? ---
**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/7 "2016-12-23T02:22:50Z")
I hope not! ---
**Author:** ![simbarashe\_Barry\_Mak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@simbarashe\_Barry\_Mak](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/simbarashe_Barry_Mak)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 8:56am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/8 "2017-01-24T08:56:58Z")
to remove shield [root@XXXX elasticsearch]# bin/plugin remove shield -\> Removing shield... Removed shield ---
**Author:** ![vramakrishnan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/vramakrishnan/32/31750_2.png) [@vramakrishnan](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/vramakrishnan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/9 "2017-02-02T21:21:12Z")
Is this plugin remove command safe to execute on a cluster where things are up and running ? Is there a REST API to disable and remove the plugin ? Also can please let me know how where this command needs to be executed. we have a setup with elkclient node, elk master nodes and elk data nodes. elk client node is the REST front end and should it be run here ? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/disable-shield-plugin/28070/10 "2017-07-05T22:03:37Z")