# Remove mapping of no existing fields
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/remove-mapping-of-no-existing-fields/59021
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [August 26, 2016, 9:39am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/remove-mapping-of-no-existing-fields/59021 "2016-08-26T09:39:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ebuildy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ebuildy)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2016, 9:39am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/remove-mapping-of-no-existing-fields/59021/1 "2016-08-26T09:39:05Z")
Why is not possible to remove completly a mapping field ? (I would like to change a field type to boolean to string, I have removed this field, but I cannot change the mapping field type despite there is no data for this field :/)
I am using update\_by\_query for reindexing, because I want to stay on the same index.
I know [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/2.3/indices-delete-mapping.html](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/2.3/indices-delete-mapping.html) has been removed, I hope there is a way to achieve it.
A big thanks !
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### Author:  [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/remove-mapping-of-no-existing-fields/59021/2 "2016-08-27T23:43:09Z")
> [@ebuildy](#):
>
> I hope there is a way to achieve it.
There is, you need to reindex.
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### Author:  [@ebuildy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ebuildy)
#### Post date: [August 30, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/remove-mapping-of-no-existing-fields/59021/3 "2016-08-30T14:19:26Z")
reindex is fine for small indices, but I have 7x 20Go indices to update 😕 😕
I finally use reindex API, it took lot of time and ressources but it does the trick. Actually ES is not schema less at all and schema is immutable (apart add new fields).
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### Author:  [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)
#### Post date: [August 30, 2016, 8:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/remove-mapping-of-no-existing-fields/59021/4 "2016-08-30T20:12:43Z")
That's still not a lot of data.
Also if you can add fields to the mappings, then by definition it is mutable.
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### Author:  [@ebuildy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ebuildy)
#### Post date: [September 19, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/remove-mapping-of-no-existing-fields/59021/5 "2016-09-19T20:29:51Z")
ok I mean it's no completely immutable .... so is not immutable by dictionnary definition.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 5, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/remove-mapping-of-no-existing-fields/59021/6 "2017-07-05T22:19:02Z")