[winget](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/winget/) package manager.

   {{< tabs name="kubectl_win_install" >}}
   {{% tab name="choco" %}}
   ```powershell
   choco install kubernetes-cli
   ```
   {{% /tab %}}
   {{% tab name="scoop" %}}
   ```powershell
   scoop install kubectl
   ```
   {{% /tab %}}
   {{% tab name="winget" %}}
   ```powershell
   winget install -e --id Kubernetes.kubectl
   ```
   {{% /tab %}}
   {{< /tabs >}}

1. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

   ```powershell
   kubectl version --client
   ```

1. Navigate to your home directory:

   ```powershell
   # If you're using cmd.exe, run: cd %USERPROFILE%
   cd ~
   ```

1. Create the `.kube` directory:

   ```powershell
   mkdir .kube
   ```

1. Change to the `.kube` directory you just created:

   ```powershell
   cd .kube
   ```

1. Configure kubectl to use a remote Kubernetes cluster:

   ```powershell
   New-Item config -type file
   ```

{{< note >}}
Edit the config file with a text editor of your choice, such as Notepad.
{{< /note >}}

## Verify kubectl configuration

{{< include "included/verify-kubectl.md" >}}

## Optional kubectl configurations and plugins

### Enable shell autocompletion

kubectl provides autocompletion support for Bash, Zsh, Fish, and PowerShell,
which can save you a lot of typing.

Below are the procedures to set up autocompletion for PowerShell.

{{< include "included/optional-kubectl-configs-pwsh.md" >}}

### Configure kuberc

See [kuberc](/docs/reference/kubectl/kuberc) for more information.

### Install `kubectl convert` plugin

{{< include "included/kubectl-convert-overview.md" >}}

1. Download the latest release with the command:

   ```powershell
   curl.exe -LO "https://dl.k8s.io/release/v{{< skew currentPatchVersion >}}/bin/windows/amd64/kubectl-convert.exe"
   ```

1. Validate the binary (optional).

   Download the `kubectl-convert` checksum file:

   ```powershell
   curl.exe -LO "https://dl.k8s.io/v{{< skew currentPatchVersion >}}/bin/windows/amd64/kubectl-convert.exe.sha256"
   ```

   Validate the `kubectl-convert` binary against the checksum file:

   - Using Command Prompt to manually compare `CertUtil`'s output to the checksum file downloaded:

     ```cmd
     CertUtil -hashfile kubectl-convert.exe SHA256
     type kubectl-convert.exe.sha256
     ```

   - Using PowerShell to automate the verification using the `-eq` operator to get
     a `True` or `False` result:

     ```powershell
     $($(CertUtil -hashfile .\kubectl-convert.exe SHA256)[1] -replace " ", "") -eq $(type .\kubectl-convert.exe.sha256)
     ```

1. Append or prepend the `kubectl-convert` binary folder to your `PATH` environment variable.

1. Verify the plugin is successfully installed.

   ```shell
   kubectl convert --help
   ```

   If you do not see an error, it means the plugin is successfully installed.

1. After installing the plugin, clean up the installation files:

   ```powershell
   del kubectl-convert.exe
   del kubectl-convert.exe.sha256
   ```

## {{% heading "whatsnext" %}}

{{< include "included/kubectl-whats-next.md" >}}