---
title: Listing, removing and updating installed plugins
description: A list of the currently loaded plugins can be retrieved with the list option: Alternatively, use the node-info API to find out which plugins are installed...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/reference/elasticsearch/plugins/listing-removing-updating
products:
  - Elasticsearch
applies_to:
  - Self-managed Elastic deployments: Generally available
---

# Listing, removing and updating installed plugins
## Listing plugins

A list of the currently loaded plugins can be retrieved with the `list` option:
```shell
sudo bin/elasticsearch-plugin list
```

Alternatively, use the [node-info API](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-nodes-info) to find out which plugins are installed on each node in the cluster

## Removing plugins

Plugins can be removed manually, by deleting the appropriate directory under `plugins/`, or using the public script:
```shell
sudo bin/elasticsearch-plugin remove [pluginname]
```

After a Java plugin has been removed, you will need to restart the node to complete the removal process.
By default, plugin configuration files (if any) are preserved on disk; this is so that configuration is not lost while upgrading a plugin. If you wish to purge the configuration files while removing a plugin, use `-p` or `--purge`. This can option can be used after a plugin is removed to remove any lingering configuration files.

## Removing multiple plugins

Multiple plugins can be removed in one invocation as follows:
```shell
sudo bin/elasticsearch-plugin remove [pluginname] [pluginname] ... [pluginname]
```


## Updating plugins

Except for text analysis plugins that are created using the [stable plugin API](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/extend/elasticsearch/creating-stable-plugins), plugins are built for a specific version of Elasticsearch, and must be reinstalled each time Elasticsearch is updated.
```shell
sudo bin/elasticsearch-plugin remove [pluginname]
sudo bin/elasticsearch-plugin install [pluginname]
```