# Disable a link so it can be temporarily ignored

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [6 March 2026 21:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513 "2026-03-06T21:16:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RedBart](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/redbart/32/82990_2.png) [@RedBart](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/RedBart)\
**Post date:** [6 March 2026 21:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/1 "2026-03-06T21:16:26Z")

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I'd love to be able to disable a link without having to delete it and remember where it was - it could just become a dotted line while disabled ?

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**Author:** ![marcus-j-davies](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/marcus-j-davies/32/103435_2.png) [@marcus-j-davies](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/marcus-j-davies)\
**Post date:** [6 March 2026 21:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/2 "2026-03-06T21:31:00Z")

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Welcome to the forums @RedBart

Sorry, but what are you referring to?

Node RED is an extremely fruitful automation / data processing platform.  
you will need to explain (in a lot more detail) what this question relates to?

- HTML Links
- Dashboard Links (DB1 OR 2)
- Link Nodes
- Link Call Nodes

?

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [6 March 2026 21:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/3 "2026-03-06T21:40:35Z")

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I suspect the OP meant a wire.

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [6 March 2026 21:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/4 "2026-03-06T21:48:18Z")

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Hi @RedBart

We don't have an easy way to achieve that with the existing flow file format. The wires between nodes don't have any properties to hold information such as whether they are disabled or not.

One workaround is to drop a node onto the wire and disable the node instead. You can then use the 'Delete and Reconnect' action (`Ctrl-Backspace` / `Cmd-Backspace`) to delete the node and restore the wire.

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**Author:** ![marcus-j-davies](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/marcus-j-davies/32/103435_2.png) [@marcus-j-davies](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/marcus-j-davies)\
**Post date:** [6 March 2026 21:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/5 "2026-03-06T21:59:12Z")

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For the record (for me at least 😅)

When the word **link** is involved, it could mean 100's of things, especially in todays Node RED portolio 😜

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**Author:** ![Sean-McG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/sean-mcg/32/54677_2.png) [@Sean-McG](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Sean-McG)\
**Post date:** [7 March 2026 02:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/6 "2026-03-07T02:19:48Z")

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> [@RedBart](#):
>
> dotted line while disabled

I think this does suggest wires 😉

If this is correct then an easy option is to drop a **function** node on to the wire, as its default state is to just pass messages through unchanged.

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**Author:** ![gregorius](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gregorius/32/73816_2.png) [@gregorius](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gregorius)\
**Post date:** [7 March 2026 05:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/7 "2026-03-07T05:48:16Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> One workaround is to drop a node

Or junction node:

![Screen Recording 2026-03-07 at 06.46.04](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/f/b/fb3ec5458c8467b8d4976bbd2ff234129d53afd9.gif)

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**Author:** ![RedBart](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/redbart/32/82990_2.png) [@RedBart](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/RedBart)\
**Post date:** [7 March 2026 21:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/8 "2026-03-07T21:25:51Z")

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Thanks, that’s a great work around, I wish I’d seen that before 🙂

Regards,  
Nigel Reburn Uk

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**Author:** ![RedBart](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/redbart/32/82990_2.png) [@RedBart](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/RedBart)\
**Post date:** [7 March 2026 21:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/9 "2026-03-07T21:39:37Z")

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Thanks for the reply Sean (yes I meant wire), this would also work 🙂

Regards,  
Nigel Reburn Uk

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**Author:** ![Semmu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/semmu/32/31164_2.png) [@Semmu](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Semmu)\
**Post date:** [10 March 2026 17:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/10 "2026-03-10T17:07:01Z")

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FYI this topic has been discussed here as well [Disable wires/connections between nodes](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-wires-connections-between-nodes/99857/) with some more options mentioned at the end (e.g. flowgate)

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**Author:** ![gregorius](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gregorius/32/73816_2.png) [@gregorius](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gregorius)\
**Post date:** [11 March 2026 05:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/11 "2026-03-11T05:54:40Z")

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> [@Semmu](#):
>
> FYI this topic has been discussed

Damn, I hadn't needed to create that [animated gif](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-wires-connections-between-nodes/99857/8) again ...

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [9 June 2026 05:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/disable-a-link-so-it-can-be-temporarily-ignored/100513/12 "2026-06-09T05:55:18Z")

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