# 3 Mass update

#### Overview

Sometimes you may want to change some attribute for a number of hosts at
once. Instead of opening each individual host for editing, you may use
the mass update function for that.

#### Using mass update

To mass-update some hosts, do the following:

-   Mark the checkboxes before the hosts you want to update in the [host
    list](/manual/web_interface/frontend_sections/configuration/hosts)
-   Select *Mass update* from the dropdown below and click on *Go*
-   Navigate to the desired tab of attributes (*Host*, *Templates*,
    *IPMI* or *Inventory*)
-   Mark the checkboxes of any attribute to update and enter a new value
    for them

![](../../../../assets/en/manual/config/hosts_mass.png)

*Replace host groups* will remove the host from any existing host groups
and replace those with the one(s) specified in this field.

*Add new or existing host groups* allows to specify additional host
groups from the existing ones or enter completely new host groups for
the hosts.

Both these fields are auto-complete - starting to type in them offers a
dropdown of matching host groups. If the host group is new, it also
appears in the dropdown and it is indicated by *(new)* after the string.
Just scroll down to select.

![](../../../../assets/en/manual/config/hosts_mass2.png)

To update template linkage in the **Templates** tab, select *Link
templates* and start typing the template name in the auto-complete field
until a dropdown appears offering the matching templates. Just scroll
down to select the template to link.

The *Replace* option will allow to link a new template while unlinking
any template that was linked to the hosts before. The *Clear when
unlinking* option will allow to not only unlink any previously linked
templates, but also remove all elements inherited from them (items,
triggers, etc.).

![](../../../../assets/en/manual/config/hosts_mass3.png)

![](../../../../assets/en/manual/config/hosts_mass4.png)

To be able to mass update inventory fields, the *Inventory mode* should
be set to 'Manual' or 'Automatic'.

When done with all required changes, click on *Update*. The attributes
will be updated accordingly for all the selected hosts.