# Updating a Channel

There are two ways to update a channel with the Stream API: partial updates and full updates. A partial update preserves existing custom key–value data, while a full update replaces the entire channel object and removes any fields not included in the request.

## Partial Update

A partial update lets you set or unset specific fields without affecting the rest of the channel’s custom data — essentially a patch-style update.

```java label="Java"
chat.updateChannelPartial("messaging", "general", UpdateChannelPartialRequest.builder()
    .set(Map.of("source", "system", "channel_detail.topic", "Nature"))
    .unset(List.of("source_detail"))
    .build()).execute();
```

## Full Update

The `update` function updates all of the channel data. **Any data that is present on the channel and not included in a full update will be deleted.**

```java label="Java"
chat.updateChannel("messaging", "general", UpdateChannelRequest.builder()
    .message(MessageRequest.builder()
        .text("Thierry changed the channel color to green")
        .build())
    .data(ChannelInputRequest.builder()
        .custom(Map.of("name", "myspecialchannel", "color", "green"))
        .build())
    .build()).execute();
```

### Request Params

| Name         | Type   | Description                                                                                                                                                                          | Optional |
| ------------ | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------- |
| channel data | object | Object with the new channel information. One special field is "frozen". Setting this field to true will freeze the channel. Read more about freezing channels in "Freezing Channels" |          |
| text         | object | Message object allowing you to show a system message in the Channel that something changed.                                                                                          | Yes      |

<Admonition type="info">

Updating a channel using these methods cannot be used to add or remove members. For this, you must use specific methods for adding/removing members, more information can be found [here](https://getstream.io/chat/docs/java/channel-members/).

</Admonition>


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This page was last updated at 2026-08-11T12:49:40.220Z.

For the most recent version of this documentation, visit [https://getstream.io/chat/docs/java/channel-update/](https://getstream.io/chat/docs/java/channel-update/).