---
type: api
title: Get lifecycle policies
description: ## Required authorization
url: https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-ilm-get-lifecycle
resource: https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-ilm-get-lifecycle
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# Get lifecycle policies

Authentication: required

Availability: Generally available since 6.6

## Paths

- `GET` `/_ilm/policy/{policy}`
- `GET` `/_ilm/policy`

#### Path parameters

- `policy` (string) — optional, leave it out to use `/_ilm/policy`
  Identifier for the policy.

## Required privileges

- Cluster privileges: `manage_ilm`, `read_ilm`

## Query string parameters

- `master_timeout` (union oneOf · default: 30s) — optional
  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.
  Values: `-1`, `0`
- `timeout` (union oneOf · default: 30s) — optional
  Period to wait for a response. If no response is received before the timeout expires, the request fails and returns an error.
  Values: `-1`, `0`

## Response

`application/json`

- `<string>` (object)
  - `modified_date` (union oneOf)
    One of: `string` or `number`
  - `policy` (object)
    - `phases` (object)
      - `cold` (object)
        - `actions` (object)
          - `allocate` (object)
            Phases allowed: warm, cold.
            - `number_of_replicas` (number)
            - `total_shards_per_node` (number)
            - `include` (map string to string)
            - `exclude` (map string to string)
            - `require` (map string to string)
          - `delete` (object)
            Phases allowed: delete.
            - `delete_searchable_snapshot` (boolean)
          - `downsample` (object)
            Phases allowed: hot, warm, cold.
            - `fixed_interval` (string)
            - `wait_timeout` (union oneOf)
              Values: `-1`, `0`
          - `freeze` (object) — deprecated
            The freeze action is a noop in 8.x
          - `forcemerge` (object)
            Phases allowed: hot, warm.
            - `max_num_segments` (number)
            - `index_codec` (string)
          - `migrate` (object)
            Phases allowed: warm, cold.
            - `enabled` (boolean)
          - `readonly` (object)
            Phases allowed: hot, warm, cold.
          - `rollover` (object)
            Phases allowed: hot.
            - `max_size` (number | string)
            - `max_primary_shard_size` (number | string)
            - `max_age` (union oneOf)
              Values: `-1`, `0`
            - `max_docs` (number)
            - `max_primary_shard_docs` (number)
            - `min_size` (number | string)
            - `min_primary_shard_size` (number | string)
            - `min_age` (union oneOf)
              Values: `-1`, `0`
            - `min_docs` (number)
            - `min_primary_shard_docs` (number)
          - `set_priority` (object)
            Phases allowed: hot, warm, cold.
            - `priority` (number)
          - `searchable_snapshot` (object)
            Phases allowed: hot, cold, frozen.
            - `snapshot_repository` (string)
            - `force_merge_index` (boolean)
            - `total_shards_per_node` (number)
              The maximum number of shards, including primaries and replicas, that can be allocated to any single node for the mounted index.
Must be at least 1.
            - `replicate_for` (union oneOf)
              The period for which the mounted index keeps one replica before the replica is removed.
By default, the index is mounted without replicas.
Must be positive.
Only the first `searchable_snapshot` action in a policy may set this.
It must fit before the next phase starts: for example, if this phase has a `min_age` of 5d and the next phase has 12d, it can be at most 7d.
              Values: `-1`, `0`
          - `shrink` (object)
            Phases allowed: hot, warm.
            - `number_of_shards` (number)
            - `max_primary_shard_size` (number | string)
            - `allow_write_after_shrink` (boolean)
          - `unfollow` (object)
            Phases allowed: hot, warm, cold, frozen.
          - `wait_for_snapshot` (object)
            Phases allowed: delete.
            - `policy` (string)
        - `min_age` (union oneOf)
          Values: `-1`, `0`
      - `delete` (object)
        Same fields as `cold` in `phases`
      - `frozen` (object)
        Same fields as `cold` in `phases`
      - `hot` (object)
        Same fields as `cold` in `phases`
      - `warm` (object)
        Same fields as `cold` in `phases`
    - `_meta` (object)
      Arbitrary metadata that is not automatically generated or used by Elasticsearch.
  - `version` (number)
## Code examples

#### Console

```console
GET _ilm/policy/my_policy
```

#### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await client.ilm.getLifecycle({
  name: "my_policy",
});
```

#### Python

```python
resp = client.ilm.get_lifecycle(
    name="my_policy",
)
```

#### curl

```curl
curl -X GET "$ELASTICSEARCH_URL/_ilm/policy/my_policy" \
  -H "Authorization: ApiKey $ELASTIC_API_KEY"
```

#### Java

```java
client.ilm().getLifecycle(g -> g
    .name("my_policy")
);
```

#### C#

```c#
var response = await client.IndexLifecycleManagement
    .GetLifecycleAsync(d1 => d1
        .Name("my_policy")
    );
```

#### PHP

```php
$resp = $client->ilm()->getLifecycle([
    "policy" => "my_policy",
]);
```

#### Ruby

```ruby
response = client.ilm.get_lifecycle(
  policy: "my_policy"
)
```

## Response examples

#### Get lifecycle response example1

`application/json`

A successful response when retrieving a lifecycle policy.

```json
{
  "my_policy": {
    "version": 1,
    "modified_date": 82392349,
    "policy": {
      "phases": {
        "warm": {
          "min_age": "10d",
          "actions": {
            "forcemerge": {
              "max_num_segments": 1
            }
          }
        },
        "delete": {
          "min_age": "30d",
          "actions": {
            "delete": {
              "delete_searchable_snapshot": true
            }
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "in_use_by" : {
      "indices" : [],
      "data_streams" : [],
      "composable_templates" : []
    }
  }
}
```