---
type: api
title: Refresh an index
description: **All methods and paths for this operation:**
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-indices-refresh
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-indices-refresh
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# Refresh an index


## Paths

- `POST` (also `GET`) `/{index}/_refresh`
- `POST` (also `GET`) `/_refresh`

#### Path parameters

- `index` (union string | string[]) — optional, leave it out to use `/_refresh`
  Comma-separated list of data streams, indices, and aliases used to limit the request.
Supports wildcards (`*`).
To target all data streams and indices, omit this parameter or use `*` or `_all`.

## Description

A refresh makes recent operations performed on one or more indices available for search.
For data streams, the API runs the refresh operation on the stream’s backing indices.

By default, Elasticsearch periodically refreshes indices every second, but only on indices that have received one search request or more in the last 30 seconds.
You can change this default interval with the `index.refresh_interval` setting.

In Elastic Cloud Serverless, the default refresh interval is 5 seconds across all indices.

Refresh requests are synchronous and do not return a response until the refresh operation completes.

Refreshes are resource-intensive.
To ensure good cluster performance, it's recommended to wait for Elasticsearch's periodic refresh rather than performing an explicit refresh when possible.

If your application workflow indexes documents and then runs a search to retrieve the indexed document, it's recommended to use the index API's `refresh=wait_for` query parameter option.
This option ensures the indexing operation waits for a periodic refresh before running the search.

## Required authorization

- Index privileges: `maintenance`

## Authentication

- Api key: `Authorization: <value>`
  Elasticsearch APIs support 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}"
  ```
  
  To get API keys, use the `/_security/api_key` APIs.
- Basic: `Authorization: Basic <credentials>`
- Bearer: `Authorization: Bearer <token>`
  Elasticsearch APIs support the use of bearer tokens in the `Authorization` HTTP header to authenticate with the API.
  For examples, refer to [Token-based authentication services](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/token-authentication-services.html)

## Query string parameters

- `allow_no_indices` (boolean · default: true) — optional
  If `false`, the request returns an error if any wildcard expression, index alias, or `_all` value targets only missing or closed indices.
This behavior applies even if the request targets other open indices.
- `expand_wildcards` (string · default: open) — optional
  Type of index that wildcard patterns can match.
If the request can target data streams, this argument determines whether wildcard expressions match hidden data streams.
Supports comma-separated values, such as `open,hidden`.

Supported values include:
  - `all`: Match any data stream or index, including hidden ones.
  - `open`: Match open, non-hidden indices. Also matches any non-hidden data stream.
  - `closed`: Match closed, non-hidden indices. Also matches any non-hidden data stream. Data streams cannot be closed.
  - `hidden`: Match hidden data streams and hidden indices. Must be combined with `open`, `closed`, or `both`.
  - `none`: Wildcard expressions are not accepted.
  Values: `all`, `open`, `closed`, `hidden`, `none`
- `ignore_unavailable` (boolean · default: false) — optional
  If `false`, the request returns an error if it targets a missing or closed index.

## Response

`application/json`

- `_shards` (object)
  - `failed` (number)
    The number of shards the operation or search attempted to run on but failed.
  - `successful` (number)
    The number of shards the operation or search succeeded on.
  - `total` (number)
    The number of shards the operation or search will run on overall.
  - `failures` (object[])
    - `index` (string)
    - `node` (string)
    - `reason` (object)
      - `type` (string)
        The type of error
      - `reason` (union string) — nullable
        A human-readable explanation of the error, in English.
        One of: `string`
      - `stack_trace` (string)
        The server stack trace. Present only if the `error_trace=true` parameter was sent with the request.
      - `caused_by` (object) — recursive
        Same fields as `reason` in `failures`
      - `root_cause` (object[]) — recursive
        Same fields as `reason` in `failures`
      - `suppressed` (object[]) — recursive
        Same fields as `reason` in `failures`
    - `shard` (number)
    - `status` (string)
    - `primary` (boolean)
  - `skipped` (number)
## Code examples

#### Console

```console
POST _refresh
```

#### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await client.indices.refresh();
```

#### Python

```python
resp = client.indices.refresh()
```

#### curl

```curl
curl -X POST "$ELASTICSEARCH_URL/_refresh" \
  -H "Authorization: ApiKey $ELASTIC_API_KEY"
```

#### Java

```java
client.indices().refresh(r -> r);
```

#### C#

```c#
var response = await client.Indices.RefreshAsync();
```

#### PHP

```php
$resp = $client->indices()->refresh();
```

#### Ruby

```ruby
response = client.indices.refresh
```