# Update by Query

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-by-query/184144>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [June 4, 2019, 10:02am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-by-query/184144 "2019-06-04T10:02:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pszemesy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e8c25b/32.png) [@pszemesy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/pszemesy)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 10:02am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-by-query/184144/1 "2019-06-04T10:02:42Z")

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Hi All,

How can I do an update by query in Elasticsearch what looks performs like this SQL:  
UPDATE index1 a SET a.filed1 = (SELECT b.filed2 FROM index2 b WHERE b.filed3 = a.filed4)

I'm using ES 6.8.  
Thanks,  
Peter

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**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 4, 2019, 10:24am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-by-query/184144/2 "2019-06-04T10:24:45Z")

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You can't.  
You can't join indices which is what you are trying to do here I believe.

You need to run 2 different queries.

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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 2, 2019, 10:24am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-by-query/184144/3 "2019-07-02T10:24:59Z")

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