# Unable to change the datatype of an existing field

**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unable-to-change-the-datatype-of-an-existing-field/193598
**Category:** Kibana
**Created:** [August 2, 2019, 5:07pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unable-to-change-the-datatype-of-an-existing-field/193598 "2019-08-02T17:07:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 2

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### Author: ![lukeelmers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/lukeelmers/32/35230_2.png) [@lukeelmers](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/lukeelmers)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unable-to-change-the-datatype-of-an-existing-field/193598/2 "2019-08-02T18:31:46Z")

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Hi @Karthik2411,

This is because you can't change the mapping of an existing index without reindexing your data. You might find the details in this thread helpful: [How to change the field type of data loaded in Kibana](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-change-the-field-type-of-data-loaded-in-kibana/136909)

To quote from the answer in that discussion,

> You cannot `PUT` a mapping for an existing index. You have 2 options: create a new index with the correct mappings and move the documents over with a reindex, or delete the index and recreate it with the correct mappings and then index the documents again.

Hope this helps!

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_[View the full topic](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unable-to-change-the-datatype-of-an-existing-field/193598)._