[[recovery-prioritization]]
=== Index recovery prioritization

Unallocated shards are recovered in order of priority, whenever possible.
Indices are sorted into priority order as follows:

* the optional `index.priority` setting (higher before lower)
* the index creation date (higher before lower)
* the index name (higher before lower)

This means that, by default, newer indices will be recovered before older indices.

Use the per-index dynamically updatable `index.priority` setting to customise
the index prioritization order. For instance:

[source,console]
------------------------------
PUT index_1

PUT index_2

PUT index_3
{
  "settings": {
    "index.priority": 10
  }
}

PUT index_4
{
  "settings": {
    "index.priority": 5
  }
}
------------------------------

In the above example:

* `index_3` will be recovered first because it has the highest `index.priority`.
* `index_4` will be recovered next because it has the next highest priority.
* `index_2` will be recovered next because it was created more recently.
* `index_1` will be recovered last.

This setting accepts an integer, and can be updated on a live index with the
<<indices-update-settings,update index settings API>>:

[source,console]
------------------------------
PUT index_4/_settings
{
  "index.priority": 1
}
------------------------------
// TEST[continued]
