:_mod-docs-content-type: CONCEPT

// This assembly is included in the following assemblies:
//
// assembly-customizing-kubernetes-resources.adoc

[id='con-customizing-image-pull-policy-{context}']
= Customizing the image pull policy

[role="_abstract"]
Strimzi allows you to customize the image pull policy for containers in all pods deployed by the Cluster Operator.
The image pull policy is configured using the environment variable `STRIMZI_IMAGE_PULL_POLICY` in the Cluster Operator deployment.
The `STRIMZI_IMAGE_PULL_POLICY` environment variable can be set to three different values:

`Always`::
Container images are pulled from the registry every time the pod is started or restarted.

`IfNotPresent`::
Container images are pulled from the registry only when they were not pulled before.

`Never`::
Container images are never pulled from the registry.

Currently, the image pull policy can only be customized for all Kafka, Kafka Connect, and Kafka MirrorMaker clusters at once.
Changing the policy will result in a rolling update of all your Kafka, Kafka Connect, and Kafka MirrorMaker clusters.

[role="_additional-resources"]
.Additional resources

* {K8sImagePullPolicies}.
