# Why \`/\_cat/indices\` shows system indices?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-cat-indices-shows-system-indices/337837>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [July 6, 2023, 7:07pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-cat-indices-shows-system-indices/337837 "2023-07-06T19:07:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mike\_Z](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/mike_z/32/122216_2.png) [@Mike\_Z](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Mike_Z)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 7:07pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-cat-indices-shows-system-indices/337837/1 "2023-07-06T19:07:22Z")

</div>

The system indices have names starting with a dot, like `.xxxxxx`. And usually, the command `GET _cat/indices/_all` does not show the system indices, so they are hidden by default.

For learning purposes, we recently went through the entire cluster restoration following [this procedure](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/snapshots-restore-snapshot.html#restore-entire-cluster). It seems that the procedure includes steps of changing settings.

The restoration itself was successful. However, we realized the command `GET _cat/indices/_all` now shows the system indices.

**Our Question:**

Is there something in the setting to control the visibilities of the system indices?

**Sample screen output:**

- For the command `GET /_cat/indices`, the output is:

```plaintext
yellow open logstash 3k8zxeK9Qs2Ds8Pnb9USAg 1 1 200 0 193.8kb 193.8kb
green open .monitoring-kibana-7-2023.07.06 tRKRFhnkTP2jmr3koSaE0g 1 0 6 0 53.4kb 53.4kb
green open .monitoring-logstash-7-2023.07.06 aMGdx9qVQHiFLcw4woZwjA 1 0 24 0 102.9kb 102.9kb
yellow open my-index-000001 lIwe4OsPRpqvB8uRNx5nfA 3 2 111113 1689 78.1mb 78.1mb
green open .monitoring-es-7-2023.07.06 Hq3AvL4eRUisCDkCa6xfEQ 1 0 76 33 747.4kb 747.4kb

```

- For the command `GET _cat/indices/_all?expand_wildcards=all`, the output is:

```plaintext
green open .ds-ilm-history-5-2023.02.17-000001 025AFMNfQXSxkCZX3D4bew 1 0 9 0 28kb 28kb
green open .kibana_task_manager_8.6.1_001 kfhf654aS7KTrAZIfNHLfw 1 0 25 5993 1mb 1mb
green open .apm-agent-configuration qcOOglD0Szmag6wRUt7VAA 1 0 0 0 225b 225b
green open .monitoring-es-7-2023.07.06 Hq3AvL4eRUisCDkCa6xfEQ 1 0 76 33 1.2mb 1.2mb
green open .kibana-event-log-8.6.1-000001 JAaq-2zHTr2dAS84vWKZhw 1 0 7 0 47.9kb 47.9kb
green open .geoip_databases 8sDPeBfLTfyDriWgEj6Sig 1 0 42 42 40mb 40mb
green open .kibana-event-log-8.6.1-000002 1oK397fMS8eDy-XS6QXXeg 1 0 0 0 225b 225b
yellow open logstash 3k8zxeK9Qs2Ds8Pnb9USAg 1 1 200 0 193.8kb 193.8kb
green open .ds-.logs-deprecation.elasticsearch-default-2023.06.19-000003 f9VNYgiSTHiriRpJVJbaSA 1 0 3 0 24.1kb 24.1kb
green open .ds-ilm-history-5-2023.06.19-000003 _yxj6Mf9Q0uOItYXs9eIOw 1 0 18 0 22.7kb 22.7kb
green open .monitoring-kibana-7-2023.07.06 tRKRFhnkTP2jmr3koSaE0g 1 0 6 0 53.4kb 53.4kb
green open .apm-custom-link QEOZ8Cm4R3-A-PZlB_Z31Q 1 0 0 0 225b 225b
green open .kibana_8.6.1_001 WClCZ-xSREeuCVJE2cAKJw 1 0 335 209 2.5mb 2.5mb
green open .ds-ilm-history-5-2023.05.18-000002 bbo_chYDQI-zM2zItXVaIQ 1 0 21 0 13.5kb 13.5kb
green open .async-search gjDLMRaAQU-cH5N9MobgJQ 1 0 0 0 256b 256b
green open .monitoring-logstash-7-2023.07.06 aMGdx9qVQHiFLcw4woZwjA 1 0 24 0 116.6kb 116.6kb
green open .ds-.logs-deprecation.elasticsearch-default-2023.05.18-000002 ZmXuZAOATj-_mkAxFXEL3g 1 0 2 0 23.6kb 23.6kb
yellow open my-index-000001 lIwe4OsPRpqvB8uRNx5nfA 3 2 111113 1689 78.1mb 78.1mb

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![eMitch](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/emitch/32/93607_2.png) [@eMitch](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/eMitch)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 10:00pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-cat-indices-shows-system-indices/337837/2 "2023-07-06T22:00:44Z")

</div>

Hey @Mike_Z!

The index setting `index.hidden` will determine if the index is displayed or hidden by default. Default is false.

Check out this [link.](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/index-modules.html#dynamic-index-settings)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2023, 10:00pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-cat-indices-shows-system-indices/337837/3 "2023-08-03T22:00:54Z")

</div>

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