# rpk plugin install

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/llms.txt). Component-specific: [cloud-data-platform-full.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform-full.txt)

---
title: rpk plugin install
latest-operator-version: v26.1.4
latest-console-tag: v3.7.3
latest-connect-version: 4.93.0
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.1.9
docname: rpk/rpk-plugin/rpk-plugin-install
page-component-name: cloud-data-platform
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Cloud
page-relative-src-path: rpk/rpk-plugin/rpk-plugin-install.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/reference/pages/rpk/rpk-plugin/rpk-plugin-install.adoc
page-git-created-date: "2024-07-25"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-05-26"
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/rpk/rpk-plugin/rpk-plugin-install.md -->

Install an `rpk plugin`.

An `rpk plugin` must be saved in `$HOME/.local/bin` or in a directory that is in your `$PATH`. By default, this command installs plugins to `$HOME/.local/bin`. This can be overridden by specifying the `--dir` flag.

If `--dir` is not present, `rpk` will create `$HOME/.local/bin` if it does not exist.

## [](#usage)Usage

```bash
rpk plugin install [PLUGIN] [flags]
```

## [](#aliases)Aliases

```bash
install, download
```

## [](#flags)Flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| --dir | string | Destination directory to save the installed plugin (default: "$HOME/.local/bin"). |
| -h, --help | - | Help for install. |
| -u, --update | - | Update a locally installed plugin if it differs from the current remote version. |
| --config | string | Redpanda or rpk config file; default search paths are /var/lib/redpanda/.config/rpk/rpk.yaml, $PWD/redpanda.yaml, and /etc/redpanda/redpanda.yaml. |
| -X, --config-opt | stringArray | Override rpk configuration settings. See rpk -X or execute rpk -X help for inline detail or rpk -X list for terser detail. |
| --profile | string | Profile to use. See rpk profile for more details. |
| -v, --verbose | - | Enable verbose logging. |