# Update an assistant

For guidance and examples, see [Manage assistants](/guides/build-an-assistant-manage-assistants#add-instructions-to-an-assistant).

:::code-group
```bash curl
PINECONE_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
ASSISTANT_NAME="example-assistant"

curl -X PATCH "https://api.pinecone.io/assistant/assistants/$ASSISTANT_NAME" \
  -H "Api-Key: $PINECONE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "X-Pinecone-Api-Version: 2026-04" \
  -d '{
  "instructions": "Use American English for spelling and grammar.",
  "metadata": {"team": "customer-support", "version": "1.1"}
}'
```
:::

:::code-group
```json curl
{
  "name": "example-assistant",
  "instructions": "Use American English for spelling and grammar.",
  "metadata": {"team": "customer-support", "version": "1.1"},
  "status": "Ready",
  "host": "https://prod-1-data.ke.pinecone.io",
  "created_at": "2025-10-01T12:30:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-10-01T12:45:00Z"
}
```
:::

`PATCH /assistants/{assistant_name}`

#### Authorizations

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `Api-Key` | `string` | - | Pinecone API Key |

#### Headers

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `X-Pinecone-Api-Version` | `string` | `2026-04` | Required date-based version header |

#### Path Parameters

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `assistant_name` | `string` | - | The name of the assistant to update. |

#### Body

The desired configuration updates for the assistant.

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `instructions?` | `string \| null` | - | Guidance applied to all responses generated by the assistant. Maximum 16 KB. Example: Answer questions with clear, helpful answers. Keep the tone friendly and easy to follow. |

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `metadata?` | `object \| null` | - | Optional metadata associated with the assistant. Metadata is a JSON object that can store custom organizational data, tags, and attributes. Maximum size is 16KB. |

#### Response

`200` — Update request successful.

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `assistant_name?` | `string` | - | The assistant name. |

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `instructions?` | `string` | - | Guidance applied to all responses generated by the assistant. Example: Answer questions with clear, helpful answers. Keep the tone friendly and easy to follow. |

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `metadata?` | `object` | - | Optional metadata associated with the assistant. Metadata is a JSON object that can store custom organizational data, tags, and attributes. |

## Related pages

- [Account management](./account-management-index.md)
- [Admin](./admin-2-index.md)
- [Admin](./admin-index.md)
- [APIs](./apis-index.md)
- [Architecture](./architecture-index.md)
- [Bring Your Own Cloud](./bring-your-own-cloud-index.md)
- [Build an assistant](./build-an-assistant-index.md)
- [Build an integration](./build-an-integration-index.md)
- [Changelog](./changelog-index.md)
- [Changelog](../changelog.md)

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