---
title: influxctl database update
description: The influxctl database update command updates a database’s retention period, tables, or columns.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/database/update/
estimated_tokens: 663
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/database/update/
date: '2025-06-30T15:05:37-06:00'
lastmod: '2025-06-30T15:05:37-06:00'
---

The `influxctl database update` command updates a database’s retention period,
table (measurement), or column limits in InfluxDB.

## Usage

```sh
influxctl database update [flags] <DATABASE_NAME>
```

## Arguments

|     Argument     |         Description          |
|------------------|------------------------------|
|**DATABASE\_NAME**|Name of the database to update|

## Flags

|Flag|                    |                                                   Description                                                    |
|----|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    |`--retention-period`|[Database retention period ](/influxdb3/clustered/admin/databases/#retention-periods)(default is `0s` or infinite)|
|    |   `--max-tables`   |[Maximum tables per database](/influxdb3/clustered/admin/databases/#table-limit) (default is 500, 0 uses default) |
|    |  `--max-columns`   | [Maximum columns per table](/influxdb3/clustered/admin/databases/#column-limit) (default is 250, 0 uses default) |
|`-h`|      `--help`      |                                               Output command help                                                |

*Also see [`influxctl` global flags](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/#global-flags).*

## Examples

* [Update a database’s retention period](#update-a-databases-retention-period)
* [Update a database’s table limit](#update-a-databases-table-limit)
* [Update a database’s column limit](#update-a-databases-column-limit)

### Update a database’s retention period

```sh
influxctl database update --retention-period 1mo mydb
```

##### Valid durations units

* `m`: minute
* `h`: hour
* `d`: day
* `w`: week
* `mo`: month
* `y`: year

##### Example retention period values

* `0d`: infinite/none
* `3d`: 3 days
* `6w`: 6 weeks
* `1mo`: 1 month (30 days)
* `1y`: 1 year
* `30d30d`: 60 days
* `2.5d`: 60 hours

### Update a database’s table limit

```sh
influxctl database update --max-tables 300 mydb
```

### Update a database’s column limit

```sh
influxctl database update --max-columns 200 mydb
```
| Argument | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Argument | Description |
| DATABASE_NAME | Name of the database to update |

| Flag |  | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Flag |  | Description |
|  | --retention-period | Database retention period  (default is  0s  or infinite) |
|  | --max-tables | Maximum tables per database  (default is 500, 0 uses default) |
|  | --max-columns | Maximum columns per table  (default is 250, 0 uses default) |
| -h | --help | Output command help |