---
type: api
title: Close a point in time
description: A point in time must be opened explicitly before being used in search requests.
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch-serverless/operation/operation-close-point-in-time
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch-serverless/operation/operation-close-point-in-time
products:
  - Elasticsearch Serverless
---

# Close a point in time

## Paths

- `DELETE` `/_pit`

## Description

A point in time must be opened explicitly before being used in search requests.
The `keep_alive` parameter tells Elasticsearch how long it should persist.
A point in time is automatically closed when the `keep_alive` period has elapsed.
However, keeping points in time has a cost; close them as soon as they are no longer required for search requests.

## Authentication

- Api key: `Authorization: <value>`
  Elasticsearch APIs use key-based authentication.
  You must create an API key and use the encoded value in the request header.
  For example:
  
  
  ```
  curl -X GET "${ES_URL}/_cat/indices?v=true" \
    -H "Authorization: ApiKey ${API_KEY}"
  ```
  
  For more information about where to find API keys for the Elasticsearch endpoint (${ES_URL}) for a project, go to [Get started with Elasticsearch Serverless](https://www.elastic.co/docs/solutions/search/serverless-elasticsearch-get-started).

## Request body

`application/json`

- `id` (string) — required
  The ID of the point-in-time.

IMPORTANT: Each search request against a PIT returns in its response a `pit_id` field which may be different from the identifier you originally supplied.
Always use the most recently-received PIT identifier for the next request.
If you make concurrent search requests against the same PIT, Elasticsearch can return several different `pit_id` values in its responses.
In that case, use any of these values for later requests, preferring more recently-received values whenever possible.

## Responses

#### `200`

`application/json`

- `succeeded` (boolean)
  If `true`, all search contexts associated with the point-in-time ID were successfully closed.
- `num_freed` (number)
  The number of search contexts that were successfully closed.
#### `404`

`application/json`

- `succeeded` (boolean)
- `num_freed` (number)
## Code examples

#### Console

```console
DELETE /_pit
{
  "id": "46ToAwMDaWR5BXV1aWQyKwZub2RlXzMAAAAAAAAAACoBYwADaWR4BXV1aWQxAgZub2RlXzEAAAAAAAAAAAEBYQADaWR5BXV1aWQyKgZub2RlXzIAAAAAAAAAAAwBYgACBXV1aWQyAAAFdXVpZDEAAQltYXRjaF9hbGw_gAAAAA=="
}
```

#### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await client.closePointInTime({
  id: "46ToAwMDaWR5BXV1aWQyKwZub2RlXzMAAAAAAAAAACoBYwADaWR4BXV1aWQxAgZub2RlXzEAAAAAAAAAAAEBYQADaWR5BXV1aWQyKgZub2RlXzIAAAAAAAAAAAwBYgACBXV1aWQyAAAFdXVpZDEAAQltYXRjaF9hbGw_gAAAAA==",
});
```

#### Python

```python
resp = client.close_point_in_time(
    id="46ToAwMDaWR5BXV1aWQyKwZub2RlXzMAAAAAAAAAACoBYwADaWR4BXV1aWQxAgZub2RlXzEAAAAAAAAAAAEBYQADaWR5BXV1aWQyKgZub2RlXzIAAAAAAAAAAAwBYgACBXV1aWQyAAAFdXVpZDEAAQltYXRjaF9hbGw_gAAAAA==",
)
```

#### curl

```curl
curl -X DELETE "$ELASTICSEARCH_URL/_pit" \
  -H "Authorization: ApiKey $ELASTIC_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "id": "46ToAwMDaWR5BXV1aWQyKwZub2RlXzMAAAAAAAAAACoBYwADaWR4BXV1aWQxAgZub2RlXzEAAAAAAAAAAAEBYQADaWR5BXV1aWQyKgZub2RlXzIAAAAAAAAAAAwBYgACBXV1aWQyAAAFdXVpZDEAAQltYXRjaF9hbGw_gAAAAA=="
  }'
```

#### Java

```java
client.closePointInTime(c -> c
    .id("46ToAwMDaWR5BXV1aWQyKwZub2RlXzMAAAAAAAAAACoBYwADaWR4BXV1aWQxAgZub2RlXzEAAAAAAAAAAAEBYQADaWR5BXV1aWQyKgZub2RlXzIAAAAAAAAAAAwBYgACBXV1aWQyAAAFdXVpZDEAAQltYXRjaF9hbGw_gAAAAA==")
);
```

#### C#

```c#
var response = await client
    .ClosePointInTimeAsync(d1 => d1
        .Id("46ToAwMDaWR5BXV1aWQyKwZub2RlXzMAAAAAAAAAACoBYwADaWR4BXV1aWQxAgZub2RlXzEAAAAAAAAAAAEBYQADaWR5BXV1aWQyKgZub2RlXzIAAAAAAAAAAAwBYgACBXV1aWQyAAAFdXVpZDEAAQltYXRjaF9hbGw_gAAAAA==")
    );
```

#### PHP

```php
$resp = $client->closePointInTime([
    "body" => [
        "id" => "46ToAwMDaWR5BXV1aWQyKwZub2RlXzMAAAAAAAAAACoBYwADaWR4BXV1aWQxAgZub2RlXzEAAAAAAAAAAAEBYQADaWR5BXV1aWQyKgZub2RlXzIAAAAAAAAAAAwBYgACBXV1aWQyAAAFdXVpZDEAAQltYXRjaF9hbGw_gAAAAA==",
    ],
]);
```

#### Ruby

```ruby
response = client.close_point_in_time(
  body: {
    "id": "46ToAwMDaWR5BXV1aWQyKwZub2RlXzMAAAAAAAAAACoBYwADaWR4BXV1aWQxAgZub2RlXzEAAAAAAAAAAAEBYQADaWR5BXV1aWQyKgZub2RlXzIAAAAAAAAAAAwBYgACBXV1aWQyAAAFdXVpZDEAAQltYXRjaF9hbGw_gAAAAA=="
  }
)
```

## Response examples

#### Close point in time response example1

A successful response from `DELETE /_pit`.

```json
{
  "succeeded": true, 
  "num_freed": 3     
}
```