# Configure Cluster Properties in Kubernetes

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

---
title: Configure Cluster Properties in Kubernetes
latest-redpanda-tag: v25.1.1
latest-console-tag: v3.7.3
latest-operator-version: v26.1.4
# EOL = End-of-Life (support lifecycle status)
page-is-nearing-eol: "false"
page-is-past-eol: "true"
page-eol-date: April 7, 2026
latest-connect-version: 4.93.0
docname: kubernetes/k-cluster-property-configuration
page-component-name: streaming
page-version: "25.1"
page-component-version: "25.1"
page-component-title: Streaming
page-relative-src-path: kubernetes/k-cluster-property-configuration.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/docs/edit/v/25.1/modules/manage/pages/kubernetes/k-cluster-property-configuration.adoc
description: Learn how to configure cluster properties in Kubernetes.
page-git-created-date: "2024-01-04"
page-git-modified-date: "2025-04-07"
support-status: past end-of-life
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/25.1/manage/kubernetes/k-cluster-property-configuration.md -->

When you install Redpanda, it automatically generates cluster configuration with default settings assigned to each cluster property. You might want to change some of the default settings, particularly if you plan to use features such as rack awareness or Tiered Storage, which are disabled by default.

To configure cluster properties, you must override the defaults in the Redpanda Helm chart’s values. Some cluster configuration properties require a restart. By overriding the defaults, you allow Helm to restart the Pods for you automatically to make the changes take effect. Using Helm to make cluster configuration changes also allows you to replicate, reproduce, and recover your cluster.

To view all cluster properties, along with their descriptions and default settings, see [cluster configuration properties](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/25.1/reference/properties/cluster-properties/) and [tunable properties](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/25.1/reference/properties/cluster-properties/). Some cluster configuration properties are nested within other objects in the Helm chart’s values. For example, `cloud_storage_access_key` is nested inside `storage.tieredStorage`.

> 📝 **NOTE**
>
> [Tunable properties](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/25.1/reference/properties/cluster-properties/), such as internal buffer sizes, have default settings that you typically do not need to modify during normal operations. You should only change these properties after collecting sufficient data to warrant a change.

## [](#edit-cluster-properties)Edit cluster properties

### Operator

`redpanda-cluster.yaml`

```yaml
apiVersion: cluster.redpanda.com/v1alpha2
kind: Redpanda
metadata:
  name: redpanda
spec:
  chartRef: {}
  clusterSpec:
    storage:
      tiered:
        config:
          cloud_storage_access_key: <access-key>
```

```bash
kubectl apply -f redpanda-cluster.yaml --namespace <namespace>
```

### Helm

To change any property settings, edit the default configuration using the `--values` or `--set` flags in the `helm upgrade --install` command. For example, to set the `[storage.tiered.config.cloud_storage_access_key](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/25.1/reference/properties/object-storage-properties/#cloud_storage_access_key)` cluster configuration:
#### --values

`cloud-storage.yaml`

```yaml
storage:
  tiered:
    config:
      cloud_storage_access_key: <access-key>
```

```bash
helm upgrade --install redpanda redpanda/redpanda --namespace <namespace> --create-namespace \
  --values cloud-storage.yaml --reuse-values
```

#### --set

```bash
helm upgrade --install redpanda redpanda/redpanda --namespace <namespace> --create-namespace \
  --set storage.tiered.config.cloud_storage_access_key=<access-key>
```

## [](#view-the-current-value-of-a-property)View the current value of a property

To see the current value of a property for a broker, you can run `rpk cluster config get <property_name>` inside a container that’s running Redpanda.

In this example, the command is executed on a Pod called `redpanda-0` in the `redpanda` namespace. You can provide your own namespace in the `--namespace` flag.

```bash
kubectl exec redpanda-0 --namespace <namespace> -c redpanda -- \
  rpk cluster config get log_compression_type
```

Example output:

```none
producer
```

## [](#export-a-redpanda-configuration-file)Export a Redpanda configuration file

To see all Redpanda configurations for a broker, you can use the `rpk cluster config export` command to save the current Redpanda configuration to a file. For example, you may want to use the configuration file during debugging.

> 💡 **TIP**
>
> To get more detailed information about your Redpanda deployment, generate a [diagnostics bundle](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/25.1/troubleshoot/debug-bundle/generate/kubernetes/), which includes the Redpanda configuration files for all brokers in the cluster.

1.  Execute the `rpk cluster config export` command inside a Pod container that’s running a Redpanda broker.

    ```bash
    kubectl exec redpanda-0 --namespace <namespace> -c redpanda -- \
    rpk cluster config export --filename <filename>.yaml
    ```

    To save the configuration file outside of your current working directory, provide an absolute path to the `--filename` flag. Otherwise, the file is saved in your current working directory.

    Example output

    ```none
    Wrote configuration to file "/tmp/config_625125906.yaml".
    ```

2.  On your host machine, make a directory in which to save the configuration file:

    ```bash
    mkdir configs
    ```

3.  Copy the configuration file from the Pod to your host machine:

    Replace `<path-to-file>` with the path to your exported file.

    ```bash
    kubectl cp redpanda/redpanda-0:<path-to-file> configs/redpanda-0-configuration-file.yaml
    ```

4.  Remove the exported file from the Redpanda container:

    ```bash
    kubectl exec redpanda-0 -c redpanda --namespace <namespace> -- rm <path-to-file>
    ```


When you’ve finished with the file, remove it from your host machine:

```bash
rm -r configs
```

## [](#suggested-reading)Suggested reading

-   [Using Raft to centralize cluster configuration in Redpanda](https://redpanda.com/blog/raft-centralized-cluster-configuration-improvements/).


## Suggested labs

-   [Redpanda Iceberg Docker Compose Example](https://docs.redpanda.com/labs/docker-compose/iceberg/)
-   [Enable Unified Identity with Azure Entra ID for Redpanda and Redpanda Console](https://docs.redpanda.com/labs/docker-compose/oidc/)
-   [Owl Shop Example Application in Docker](https://docs.redpanda.com/labs/docker-compose/owl-shop/)
-   [Migrate Data with Redpanda Migrator](https://docs.redpanda.com/labs/docker-compose/redpanda-migrator/)
-   [Start a Single Redpanda Broker with Redpanda Console in Docker](https://docs.redpanda.com/labs/docker-compose/single-broker/)
-   [Start a Cluster of Redpanda Brokers with Redpanda Console in Docker](https://docs.redpanda.com/labs/docker-compose/three-brokers/)
-   [Iceberg Streaming on Kubernetes with Redpanda, MinIO, and Spark](https://docs.redpanda.com/labs/kubernetes/iceberg/)

See more

[Search all labs](https://docs.redpanda.com/labs)