[role="xpack"]
[testenv="basic"]
[[ilm-move-to-step]]
=== Move to lifecycle step API
++++
<titleabbrev>Move to step</titleabbrev>
++++

Triggers execution of a specific step in the lifecycle policy.

==== Request

`POST _ilm/move/<index>`

==== Description

WARNING: This operation can result in the loss of data. Manually moving an index
into a specific step executes that step even if it has already been performed.
This is a potentially destructive action and this should be considered an expert
level API.

Manually moves an index into the specified step and executes that step.
You must specify both the current step and the step to be executed in the
body of the request.

The request will fail if the current step does not match the step currently
being executed for the index. This is to prevent the index from being moved from
an unexpected step into the next step.

==== Path Parameters

`index` (required)::
  (string) Identifier for the index.

==== Request Parameters

include::{docdir}/rest-api/timeoutparms.asciidoc[]

==== Authorization

You must have the `manage_ilm` privileges on the indices being managed to use this API.
For more information, see {stack-ov}/security-privileges.html[Security Privileges].

==== Examples

The following example moves `my_index` from the initial step to the
`forcemerge` step:

//////////////////////////

[source,js]
--------------------------------------------------
PUT _ilm/policy/my_policy
{
  "policy": {
    "phases": {
      "warm": {
        "min_age": "10d",
        "actions": {
          "forcemerge": {
            "max_num_segments": 1
          }
        }
      },
      "delete": {
        "min_age": "30d",
        "actions": {
          "delete": {}
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

PUT my_index
{
  "settings": {
    "index.lifecycle.name": "my_policy"
  }
}
--------------------------------------------------
// CONSOLE
// TEST

//////////////////////////

[source,js]
--------------------------------------------------
POST _ilm/move/my_index
{
  "current_step": { <1>
    "phase": "new",
    "action": "complete",
    "name": "complete"
  },
  "next_step": { <2>
    "phase": "warm",
    "action": "forcemerge",
    "name": "forcemerge"
  }
}
--------------------------------------------------
// CONSOLE
// TEST[continued]
<1> The step that the index is expected to be in
<2> The step that you want to execute

If the request succeeds, you receive the following result:

[source,js]
--------------------------------------------------
{
  "acknowledged": true
}
--------------------------------------------------
// CONSOLE
// TESTRESPONSE

The request will fail if the index is not in the `new` phase as specified
by the `current_step`.