---
title: Custom URL or file system
description: A plugin can also be downloaded directly from a custom location by specifying the URL: 
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/elasticsearch/plugins/plugin-management-custom-url
products:
  - Elasticsearch
applies_to:
  - Self-managed Elastic deployments: Generally available
---

# Custom URL or file system
A plugin can also be downloaded directly from a custom location by specifying the URL:
```shell
sudo bin/elasticsearch-plugin install [url] 
```

<definitions>
  <definition term="Unix">
    To install a plugin from your local file system at `/path/to/plugin.zip`, you could run:
    ```shell
    sudo bin/elasticsearch-plugin install file:///path/to/plugin.zip
    ```
  </definition>
  <definition term="Windows">
    To install a plugin from your local file system at `C:\path\to\plugin.zip`, you could run:
    ```shell
    bin\elasticsearch-plugin install file:///C:/path/to/plugin.zip
    ```
    <note>
      Any path that contains spaces must be wrapped in quotes!
    </note>
    <note>
      If you are installing a plugin from the filesystem the plugin distribution must not be contained in the `plugins` directory for the node that you are installing the plugin to or installation will fail.
    </note>
  </definition>
  <definition term="HTTP">
    To install a plugin from an HTTP URL:
    ```shell
    sudo bin/elasticsearch-plugin install <EXAMPLE_PLUGIN_HOST_URL>/plugin.zip
    ```
    The plugin script will refuse to talk to an HTTPS URL with an untrusted certificate. To use a self-signed HTTPS cert, you will need to add the CA cert to a local Java truststore and pass the location to the script as follows:
    ```shell
    sudo CLI_JAVA_OPTS="-Djavax.net.ssl.trustStore=/path/to/trustStore.jks" bin/elasticsearch-plugin install <MY_HOST_URL>/plugin.zip
    ```
  </definition>
</definitions>