---
title: elasticsearch-keystore
description: The elasticsearch-keystore command manages secure settings in the Elasticsearch keystore. Currently, all secure settings are node-specific settings that...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/elasticsearch/command-line-tools/elasticsearch-keystore
products:
  - Elasticsearch
applies_to:
  - Self-managed Elastic deployments: Generally available
---

# elasticsearch-keystore
The `elasticsearch-keystore` command manages [secure settings](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/deploy-manage/security/secure-settings) in the Elasticsearch keystore.

## Synopsis

```shell
bin/elasticsearch-keystore
( [add <settings>] [-f] [--stdin]
| [add-file (<setting> <path>)+]
| [create] [-p]
| [has-passwd]
| [list]
| [passwd]
| [remove <setting>]
| [show [-o <output-file>] <setting>]
| [upgrade]
) [-h, --help] ([-s, --silent] | [-v, --verbose])
```


## Description

<important>
  This command should be run as the user that will run Elasticsearch.
</important>

Currently, all secure settings are node-specific settings that must have the same value on every node. Therefore you must run this command on every node.
When the keystore is password-protected, you must supply the password each time Elasticsearch starts.
Modifications to the keystore are not automatically applied to the running Elasticsearch node. Any changes to the keystore will take effect when you restart Elasticsearch. Some secure settings can be explicitly [reloaded](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/deploy-manage/security/secure-settings#reloadable-secure-settings) without restart.
Only some settings are designed to be read from the keystore. However, there is no validation to block unsupported settings from the keystore and they can cause Elasticsearch to fail to start. To see whether a setting is supported in the keystore, see the setting reference.

## Parameters

<definitions>
  <definition term="add <settings>">
    Adds settings to the keystore. Multiple setting names can be specified as arguments to the `add` command. By default, you are prompted for the values of the settings. If the keystore is password protected, you are also prompted to enter the password. If a setting already exists in the keystore, you must confirm that you want to overwrite the current value. If the keystore does not exist, you must confirm that you want to create a keystore. To avoid these two confirmation prompts, use the `-f` parameter.
  </definition>
  <definition term="add-file (<setting> <path>)+">
    Adds files to the keystore.
  </definition>
  <definition term="create">
    Creates the keystore.
  </definition>
  <definition term="-f, --force">
    When used with the `add` parameter, the command no longer prompts you before overwriting existing entries in the keystore. Also, if you haven’t created a keystore yet, it creates a keystore that is obfuscated but not password protected.
  </definition>
  <definition term="-h, --help">
    Returns all of the command parameters.
  </definition>
  <definition term="has-passwd">
    Returns a success message if the keystore exists and is password-protected. Otherwise, the command fails with exit code 1 and returns an error message.
  </definition>
  <definition term="list">
    Lists the settings in the keystore. If the keystore is password protected, you are prompted to enter the password.
  </definition>
  <definition term="-p">
    When used with the `create` parameter, the command prompts you to enter a keystore password. If you don’t specify the `-p` flag or if you enter an empty password, the keystore is obfuscated but not password protected.
  </definition>
  <definition term="passwd">
    Changes or sets the keystore password. If the keystore is password protected, you are prompted to enter the current password and the new one. You can optionally use an empty string to remove the password. If the keystore is not password protected, you can use this command to set a password.
  </definition>
  <definition term="remove <settings>">
    Removes settings from the keystore. Multiple setting names can be specified as arguments to the `remove` command.
  </definition>
  <definition term="show <setting>">
    Displays the value of a single setting in the keystore. Pass the `-o` (or `--output`) parameter to write the setting to a file. If writing to the standard output (the terminal) the setting’s value is always interpreted as a UTF-8 string. If the setting contains binary data (for example for data that was added via the `add-file` command), always use the `-o` option to write to a file.
  </definition>
  <definition term="-s, --silent">
    Shows minimal output.
  </definition>
  <definition term="-x, --stdin">
    When used with the `add` parameter, you can pass the settings values through standard input (stdin). Separate multiple values with carriage returns or newlines. See [Add settings to the keystore](#add-string-to-keystore).
  </definition>
  <definition term="upgrade">
    Upgrades the internal format of the keystore.
  </definition>
  <definition term="-v, --verbose">
    Shows verbose output.
  </definition>
</definitions>


## Handling special characters

<important>
  Improper handling of special characters can lead to authentication failures and service outages.
</important>

**Exclamation mark**: `!`
: When using the shell, the combination `\!` is stored as just `!`. This can lead to authentication failures if the password is not stored as intended.
**Quotes**: `"`
: If quotes are used around the password, they become part of the password itself. This can cause the password to be incorrect when retrieved from the keystore.
**Backslash**: `\`
: The backslash character needs to be properly escaped. If not escaped correctly, it may be omitted or misinterpreted, leading to incorrect password storage.

## Examples


### Create the keystore

To create the `elasticsearch.keystore`, use the `create` command:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore create -p
```

You are prompted to enter the keystore password. A password-protected `elasticsearch.keystore` file is created alongside the `elasticsearch.yml` file.

### Change the password of the keystore

To change the password of the `elasticsearch.keystore`, use the `passwd` command:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore passwd
```

If the Elasticsearch keystore is password protected, you are prompted to enter the current password and then enter the new one. If it is not password protected, you are prompted to set a password.

### List settings in the keystore

To list the settings in the keystore, use the `list` command.
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore list
```

If the Elasticsearch keystore is password protected, you are prompted to enter the password.

### Add settings to the keystore

Sensitive string settings, like authentication credentials for Cloud plugins, can be added with the `add` command:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore add the.setting.name.to.set
```

You are prompted to enter the value of the setting. If the Elasticsearch keystore is password protected, you are also prompted to enter the password.
You can also add multiple settings with the `add` command:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore add \
  the.setting.name.to.set \
  the.other.setting.name.to.set
```

You are prompted to enter the values of the settings. If the Elasticsearch keystore is password protected, you are also prompted to enter the password.
To pass the settings values through standard input (stdin), use the `--stdin` flag:
```sh
cat /file/containing/setting/value | bin/elasticsearch-keystore add --stdin the.setting.name.to.set
```

Alternatively, you can use the echo command to input the password into the keystore. For example, if the password is `your\!password` :
```sh
echo -n 'your\!password' | bin/elasticsearch-keystore add the.setting.name.to.set
```

Values for multiple settings must be separated by carriage returns or newlines.

### Add files to the keystore

You can add sensitive files, like authentication key files for Cloud plugins, using the `add-file` command. Settings and file paths are specified in pairs consisting of `setting path`. The value of the setting will be the binary contents of the file path at the time the file is added to the keystore.
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore add-file the.setting.name.to.set /path/example-file.json
```

You can add multiple files with the `add-file` command:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore add-file \
  the.setting.name.to.set /path/example-file.json \
  the.other.setting.name.to.set /path/other-example-file.json
```

If the Elasticsearch keystore is password protected, you are prompted to enter the password.

### Show settings in the keystore

To display the value of a setting in the keystore use the `show` command:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore show the.name.of.the.setting.to.show
```

If the setting contains binary data you should write it to a file with the `-o` (or `--output`) option:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore show -o my_file binary.setting.name
```

If the Elasticsearch keystore is password protected, you are prompted to enter the password.

### Remove settings from the keystore

To remove a setting from the keystore, use the `remove` command:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore remove the.setting.name.to.remove
```

You can also remove multiple settings with the `remove` command:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore remove \
  the.setting.name.to.remove \
  the.other.setting.name.to.remove
```

If the Elasticsearch keystore is password protected, you are prompted to enter the password.

### Upgrade the keystore

Occasionally, the internal format of the keystore changes. When Elasticsearch is installed from a package manager, an upgrade of the on-disk keystore to the new format is done during package upgrade. In other cases, Elasticsearch performs the upgrade during node startup. This requires that Elasticsearch has write permissions to the directory that contains the keystore. Alternatively, you can manually perform such an upgrade by using the `upgrade` command:
```sh
bin/elasticsearch-keystore upgrade
```