# ALTER TABLE

> 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: ALTER TABLE
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: sql/sql-statements/alter-table
page-component-name: cloud-data-platform
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Cloud
page-relative-src-path: sql/sql-statements/alter-table.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/reference/pages/sql/sql-statements/alter-table.adoc
description: The ALTER TABLE statement modifies options of a catalog table mapped to a Redpanda topic.
page-topic-type: reference
page-git-created-date: "2026-05-26"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-05-26"
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/sql/sql-statements/alter-table.md -->

The `ALTER TABLE` statement modifies the options of a catalog table mapped to a Redpanda topic.

## [](#syntax)Syntax

```sql
ALTER TABLE [IF EXISTS] catalog_name=>table_name
WITH (option = 'value' [, ...]);
```

-   `catalog_name`: Name of the Redpanda catalog containing the table.

-   `table_name`: Name of the table to modify.

-   `IF EXISTS`: Optional. Prevents an error if the table does not exist.

-   `option = 'value'`: One or more table options to update. See [CREATE TABLE](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/sql/sql-statements/create-table/) for the full list of options.


## [](#examples)Examples

Update the error handling policy for an existing catalog table:

```sql
ALTER TABLE default_redpanda_catalog=>sensor_readings
WITH (error_handling_policy = 'FILL_NULL');
```