# How to autoinstall external nodes when importing flows

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-autoinstall-external-nodes-when-importing-flows/60235>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [23 March 2022 11:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-autoinstall-external-nodes-when-importing-flows/60235 "2022-03-23T11:38:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![quemf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/97f17d/32.png) [@quemf](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/quemf)\
**Post date:** [23 March 2022 11:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-autoinstall-external-nodes-when-importing-flows/60235/1 "2022-03-23T11:38:16Z")

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Hi everyone,

Lately I need to import different flows to my Node-RED, with nodes that are not installed by default, and I was wondering if there is a parameter in the configuration or a way to auto-install them automatically.  
I have also gone to the settings file, I have uncommented the three autoinstall parameters in the externalModules field, but I see that the external nodes are not installed automatically when imported.

I would appreciate your help. Thank you in advance!

Q.

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**Author:** ![jmorris644](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/jmorris644/32/31964_2.png) [@jmorris644](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jmorris644)\
**Post date:** [23 March 2022 14:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-autoinstall-external-nodes-when-importing-flows/60235/2 "2022-03-23T14:25:51Z")

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If not automatic, it would be nice to know somehow which modules need to be installed that contain the imported 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:** [23 March 2022 15:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-autoinstall-external-nodes-when-importing-flows/60235/3 "2022-03-23T15:25:29Z")

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> [@quemf](#):
>
> Lately I need to import different flows to my Node-RED, with nodes that are not installed by default

Are you cloning a working system? If so then if you copy package.json across to the new machine and go into the .node-red directory and run  
`npm install`  
it will install the nodes.  
Otherwise the answer is no. The flows file does not contain details of which packages are installed. I believe that this is on the list of things that could be improved when time allows.

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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:** [22 May 2022 15:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-autoinstall-external-nodes-when-importing-flows/60235/4 "2022-05-22T15:26:10Z")

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