---
name: containers-cluster-scaling-install-addon
title: Enabling the cluster autoscaler add-on in your cluster
description: You can enable the add-on from the console or the command line.
last-updated: 2026-07-27
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/containers?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Enabling the cluster autoscaler add-on in your cluster
{: #cluster-scaling-install-addon}

You can enable the add-on from the console or the command line.


Because the cluster autoscaler doesn't recognize GPU labels, it can't scale up or down based on GPU consumption.
{: important}

## Enabling the cluster autoscaler add-on from the console
{: #autoscaler-enable-console}
{: ui}
    
1. From the [IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service cluster dashboard](https://cloud.ibm.com/containers/cluster-management/clusters), select the cluster where you want to enable autoscaling.
1. In the **Add-ons** section, locate the Cluster Autoscaler add-on and click **Install**

## Enabling the cluster autoscaler add-on from the CLI
{: #autoscaler-enable-CLI}
{: cli}
    
1. Update the `container-service` plug-in to the most recent version.
    ```sh
    ibmcloud update && ibmcloud plugin update container-service
    ```
    {: pre}

1. Enable the `cluster-autoscaler` add-on by running the following command.
    ```sh
    ibmcloud ks cluster addon enable cluster-autoscaler --cluster CLUSTER_NAME
    ```
    {: pre}

    Example output
    
    ```sh
    Enabling add-on `cluster-autoscaler` for cluster <cluster_name>...
    The add-on might take several minutes to deploy and become ready for use.
    OK
    ```
    {: screen}

1. Verify that the add-on is installed and `Ready`.
    ```sh
    ibmcloud ks cluster addon ls --cluster <cluster_name>
    ```
    {: pre}

    Example output

    ```sh
    NAME                 Version   Health State   Health Status   
    cluster-autoscaler   1.0.1     normal         Addon Ready
    ```
    {: screen}

1. No worker pools are configured for scaling after enabling the add-on. To set up autoscaling on your worker pools, [edit the cluster autoscaler configmap](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/containers?topic=containers-cluster-scaling-install-addon-enable&format=markdown).





## Updating the cluster autoscaler add-on
{: #cluster-scaling-install-addon-update-addon}

The cluster autoscaler has two types of updates.

Patch updates
:   Patch updates are delivered automatically by IBM and don't contain any feature updates or changes in the supported add-on and cluster versions.

Release updates
:   Release updates contain new features for the cluster autoscaler or changes in the supported add-on or cluster versions. You must manually apply release updates to your cluster autoscaler add-on.

To update the cluster autoscaler add-on:

1. Check the version of the cluster autoscaler add-on that is deployed in your cluster. If an update is available, review the [release notes](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/containers?topic=containers-cl-add-ons-cluster-autoscaler&format=markdown) for the latest add-on version.
    ```sh
    ibmcloud ks cluster addon ls --cluster <cluster_name>
    ```
    {: pre}

    If you upgrade your cluster to a version that isn't supported by the cluster autoscaler add-on, your apps might experience downtime and your cluster might not scale.
    {: important}

2. Update the cluster autoscaler add-on.

    ```sh
    ibmcloud ks cluster addon update cluster-autoscaler --version <version-to-update> --cluster <cluster_name>
    ```
    {: pre}

3. Verify the add-on is successfully updated and `Ready`.

    ```sh
    ibmcloud ks cluster addon ls --cluster <cluster_name>
    ```
    {: pre}
    
    
## Removing the cluster autoscaler add-on from the console
{: #autoscaler-remove-console}
{: ui}

1. [Edit the autoscaler ConfigMap](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/containers?topic=containers-cluster-scaling-install-addon-enable&format=markdown) to stop scaling your working pools.

1. From the [IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service cluster dashboard](https://cloud.ibm.com/containers/cluster-management/clusters), select the cluster where you want to enable autoscaling.

1. Locate the Cluster Autoscaler add-on and click **Uninstall**


## Removing the cluster autoscaler add-on from the CLI
{: #autoscaler-remove-cli}
{: cli}

1. [Edit the autoscaler ConfigMap](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/containers?topic=containers-cluster-scaling-install-addon-enable&format=markdown) to stop scaling your working pools.
    
1. Disable the `cluster-autoscaler` add-on.

    ```sh
    ibmcloud ks cluster addon disable cluster-autoscaler --cluster <cluster_name>
    ```
    {: pre}

1. Verify that the add-on was removed.

    ```sh
    ibmcloud ks cluster addon ls --cluster <cluster_name>
    ```
    {: pre}