> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.turso.tech/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# DROP INDEX

> Remove an index from the database

# DROP INDEX

Remove an index from the database. The underlying table and its data are not affected.

## Syntax

```sql theme={null}
DROP INDEX [IF EXISTS] [schema-name.]index-name;
```

## Description

`DROP INDEX` removes a previously created index. After the index is dropped, the query planner can no longer use it to optimize queries. The table data is unchanged.

### Parameters

| Parameter     | Description                                                                                       |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `IF EXISTS`   | Prevents an error if the index does not exist. The statement is a no-op when the index is absent. |
| `schema-name` | The name of the attached database containing the index. Defaults to the main database if omitted. |
| `index-name`  | The name of the index to drop.                                                                    |

### Behavior

* Only explicitly created indexes can be dropped. Indexes automatically created for PRIMARY KEY and UNIQUE constraints cannot be dropped directly -- drop the table or use ALTER TABLE instead.
* Dropping an index may degrade query performance for queries that relied on it, but does not affect correctness.

## Examples

### Drop an Index

```sql theme={null}
DROP INDEX idx_users_email;
```

### Drop an Index Only if It Exists

```sql theme={null}
DROP INDEX IF EXISTS idx_old_search;
```

### Drop an Index in an Attached Database

```sql theme={null}
DROP INDEX aux.idx_sessions_token;
```

## See Also

* [CREATE INDEX](/sql-reference/statements/create-index) for creating indexes
* [EXPLAIN](/sql-reference/statements/explain) for verifying query plans after dropping an index