elastic / elastic/docs-content
ILM policy editor now exposes force merge settings for searchable snapshots
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Description
## Summary
The Kibana ILM policy editor now exposes two force merge settings for the searchable snapshot action: force_merge_index (toggle to force merge to one segment before creating the snapshot) and force_merge_on_clone (toggle to perform the force merge on a clone rather than the original index, available since 9.2). Both settings are documented in the Elasticsearch ILM reference but were previously only configurable via API. The Kibana UI docs checklist was not completed.
**Why this needs docs:** New UI toggles in Kibana ILM policy editor for settings already in the Elasticsearch reference — check whether a Kibana-specific ILM policy editor guide exists that lists available UI settings and needs updating.
## Resources
- PR [#264698](https://github.com/elastic/kibana/pull/264698) — [ILM] Add force merge settings to searchable snapshot
Screenshots from PR



## Availability
| Channel | Details |
|---------|---------|
| **Stack** | v9.5.0 |
| **Serverless** | May 4–May 8 |
| **Feature flag** | None — active by default |
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*Created with [Docs Quest Scanner](https://github.com/florent-leborgne/docs-quest-scanner) by @florent-leborgne*
## Suggested edits
[Searchable snapshot](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/elasticsearch/index-lifecycle-actions/ilm-searchable-snapshot) > Options
- **What the docs say:** The Options section already documents force_merge_index (Boolean, defaults to true) and force_merge_on_clone (Boolean, defaults to true, generally available since 9.2). The Kibana UI guide checkbox in the PR was unchecked.
- **What to change:** Verify whether a Kibana ILM policy editor UI guide exists that lists the available settings in the editor UI — if so, add force_merge_index and force_merge_on_clone to it. The Elasticsearch reference options page is already accurate. Applies from 9.5.0 and in serverless.
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