10 comments / January 12, 2011 / sood / Databases

PostgreSQL: How to reload config settings without restarting database

If you are making modifications to the Postgres configuration file postgresql.conf (or similar), and you want to new settings to take effect without needing to restart the entire database, there are two ways to accomplish this.

Option 1: From the command-line shell

su - postgres /usr/bin/pg_ctl reload

Option 2: Using SQL

SELECT pg_reload_conf();

Using either option will not interrupt any active queries or connections to the database, thus applying these changes seemlessly.

Postgres PostgreSQL

10 comments… add one

Frank January 13, 2011, 3:14 am

Or using SQL (by a superuser):

SELECT pg_reload_conf();
sood January 13, 2011, 9:18 am

Thanks Frank for that suggestion. I will update the article accordingly!
Maarten Verwijs November 28, 2014, 6:09 am

This does not work for all settings. See the postgres docs. Some parameters state: “This parameter can only be set at server start.”
Rouge December 18, 2014, 4:32 am

Thanks.

I’m new to PostgreSQL and things like this makes life easier for me 🙂
Aleasha February 10, 2016, 12:46 am

Well it should be ….
pg_ctl reload -D /datafile-location
Bob Smith June 15, 2016, 5:03 pm

Thanks, very helpful.
Matthew February 14, 2017, 10:47 am

SELECT pg_reload_conf();
Worked perfectly.

As others have stated, be sure your configuration changes don’t require a restart!

Cheers
Foo January 23, 2019, 10:44 am

Saved my homework. Thnks!
Spartacus July 2, 2019, 7:54 pm

Thank you very much
syarif October 11, 2019, 12:21 am

thanks, you saved my day