# rpk topic alter-config

> 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: rpk topic alter-config
latest-redpanda-tag: v25.2.1
latest-console-tag: v3.7.3
latest-operator-version: v26.1.4
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page-eol-date: July 31, 2026
latest-connect-version: 4.93.0
docname: rpk/rpk-topic/rpk-topic-alter-config
page-component-name: streaming
page-version: "25.2"
page-component-version: "25.2"
page-component-title: Streaming
page-relative-src-path: rpk/rpk-topic/rpk-topic-alter-config.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/docs/edit/v/25.2/modules/reference/pages/rpk/rpk-topic/rpk-topic-alter-config.adoc
page-git-created-date: "2023-05-17"
page-git-modified-date: "2024-07-24"
support-status: nearing end-of-life
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/25.2/reference/rpk/rpk-topic/rpk-topic-alter-config.md -->

Set, delete, add, and remove key/value configs for a topic.

This command allows you to incrementally alter the configuration for multiple topics at a time.

Incremental altering supports four operations:

1.  Setting a key=value pair

2.  Deleting a key’s value

3.  Appending a new value to a list-of-values key

4.  Subtracting (removing) an existing value from a list-of-values key


The `--dry` option will validate whether the requested configuration change is valid, but does not apply it.

## [](#usage)Usage

```bash
rpk topic alter-config [TOPICS...] --set key=value --delete key2,key3 [flags]
```

## [](#flags)Flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| --append | stringArray | key=value; Value to append to a list-of-values key (repeatable). |
| -d, --delete | stringArray | Key to delete (repeatable). |
| --dry | - | Dry run: validate the alter request, but do not apply. |
| -h, --help | - | Help for alter-config. |
| -s, --set | stringArray | key=value; Pair to set (repeatable). |
| --subtract | stringArray | key=value; Value to remove from list-of-values key (repeatable). |
| --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. |