---
type: api
title: Stop snapshot lifecycle management
description: Stop all snapshot lifecycle management (SLM) operations and the SLM plugin.
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch/v9/operation/operation-slm-stop
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch/v9/operation/operation-slm-stop
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# Stop snapshot lifecycle management

Availability: Generally available since 7.6

## Paths

- `POST` `/_slm/stop`

## Description

Stop all snapshot lifecycle management (SLM) operations and the SLM plugin.
This API is useful when you are performing maintenance on a cluster and need to prevent SLM from performing any actions on your data streams or indices.
Stopping SLM does not stop any snapshots that are in progress.
You can manually trigger snapshots with the run snapshot lifecycle policy API even if SLM is stopped.

The API returns a response as soon as the request is acknowledged, but the plugin might continue to run until in-progress operations complete and it can be safely stopped.
Use the get snapshot lifecycle management status API to see if SLM is running.

## 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/docs/deploy-manage/users-roles/cluster-or-deployment-auth/token-based-authentication-services)

## Query string parameters

- `master_timeout` (string · default: 30s) — optional
  The period to wait for a connection to the master node.
If no response is received before the timeout expires, the request fails and returns an error.
To indicate that the request should never timeout, set it to `-1`.
- `timeout` (string · default: 30s) — optional
  The period to wait for a response.
If no response is received before the timeout expires, the request fails and returns an error.
To indicate that the request should never timeout, set it to `-1`.

## Response

`application/json`

- `acknowledged` (boolean)
  For a successful response, this value is always true. On failure, an exception is returned instead.
## Code examples

#### Console

```console
POST /_slm/stop
```

#### curl

```curl
curl -X POST "${ELASTICSEARCH_URL}/_slm/stop" \
  -H "Authorization: ApiKey ${API_KEY}"
```