# 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: v26.2.1
latest-console-tag: v3.10.0
latest-operator-version: v26.2.1
# EOL = End-of-Life (support lifecycle status)
page-is-nearing-eol: "false"
page-is-past-eol: "false"
page-eol-date: July 28, 2027
latest-connect-version: 4.105.0
docname: rpk/rpk-topic/rpk-topic-alter-config
page-component-name: streaming
page-version: "26.2"
page-component-version: "26.2"
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/main/modules/reference/pages/rpk/rpk-topic/rpk-topic-alter-config.adoc
description: 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.
page-git-created-date: "2023-05-17"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-08-03"
support-status: supported
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/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. Use the flag `--no-confirm` to avoid the confirmation prompt.

## [](#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 | bool | Dry run: validate the alter request, but do not apply. |
| --format | string | Output format (json,yaml,text,wide,help). (New in v26.2.1) |
| --no-confirm | bool | Disable confirmation prompt. |
| -s, --set | stringArray | key=value; Pair to set (repeatable). |
| --subtract | stringArray | key=value; Value to remove from list-of-values key (repeatable). |

## [](#global-flags)Global flags

| Value | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| --config | string | Redpanda or rpk config file; default search paths are ~/.config/rpk/rpk.yaml, $PWD/redpanda.yaml, and /etc/redpanda/redpanda.yaml. |
| -X, --config-opt | stringArray | Override rpk configuration settings; -X help for detail or -X list for terser detail. |
| --ignore-profile | bool | Ignore rpk.yaml and redpanda.yaml; use default settings. |
| --profile | string | rpk profile to use. |
| -v, --verbose | bool | Enable verbose logging. |