# The Get Variable block

<img alt="The Get Variable block" src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v11/flows-reference-blocks-get-variable-v11.53.2.jpg" width="280px" />

The **Get Variable** block retrieves the value of any variable defined by a [**Create Variable**](/docs/postman-flows/reference/blocks/create-variable/) block anywhere in the flow. The **Get Variable** block then sends that value from its output port.

## Output

**Select a variable** - When a variable is selected, this port sends the variable's value.

## Setup

You can add a **Get Variable** block directly to the canvas, or insert it inline within any block that takes variables as input. See [Related blocks](#related-blocks).

Select **Select a variable** and choose a variable from the dropdown list. The list is populated with variables created by **Create Variable** blocks in the flow.

A pin icon appears in any **Get Variable** block that you insert inline into a block that's within a loop. To learn how variable pinning works, see [Loops with external data](/docs/postman-flows/build-flows/structure/loops/loops-external-data/).

## Example

To see the **Get Variable** block in an example flow, check out [Flow Snippets: Variables](https://www.postman.com/postman/flows-snippets/flow/63bc94d282cf9728f279e020).

## Related blocks

Any value that the **Get Variable** block can retrieve must first be defined by a [**Create Variable**](/docs/postman-flows/reference/blocks/create-variable/) block somewhere in the canvas.

Numerous blocks allow you to [insert](/docs/postman-flows/reference/blocks/overview/#insert-data-blocks-into-other-blocks) the **Get Variable** block inline, including the [**Create with AI**](/docs/postman-flows/reference/blocks/create-with-ai/), [**Evaluate**](/docs/postman-flows/reference/blocks/evaluate/), [**If**](/docs/postman-flows/reference/blocks/if/), [**List**](/docs/postman-flows/reference/blocks/list/), [**Record**](/docs/postman-flows/reference/blocks/record/), and [**Template**](/docs/postman-flows/reference/blocks/template/) blocks.

## Related pages

For tutorials that use the **Get Variable** block, see the following:

* [Automate repetitive tasks using Postman Flows](/docs/postman-flows/tutorials/advanced/automate-repetitive-tasks/)
* [Calculate the years since a milestone](/docs/postman-flows/tutorials/beginner/calculate-years-since-milestone/)