Last checked and updated on 04 May 2026
What’s new in Helm 3.15?
| Category | Key changes |
|---|---|
| New Features | Opt‑in flag to hide secret values during helm install and helm upgrade dry‑run operations. |
| Improvements | More resilient wait‑status checks; better handling of previously uninstalled releases with --keep-history; updated annotation logic for package creation time. |
| Bug Fixes | Fixed kubeconfig namespace errors; ignored alias validation errors when loading index files; corrected OCI getter proxy support; repaired reinstall of charts after a --keep-history uninstall. |
| Security | Secret‑hiding feature reduces accidental exposure of sensitive data in dry‑run output. |
| Deprecated | None in this release. |
For a quick start, see the Helm Quickstart Guide. Detailed installation steps are in the Helm Install Guide.
Which areas received the biggest updates in Helm 3.15?
Secret handling during dry‑run
Helm now offers an opt‑in switch that masks secret values when you run helm install or helm upgrade with --dry-run. This prevents accidental logging of credentials while you test a chart.
Wait‑status robustness
The wait logic has been hardened to tolerate transient failures and timing edge cases, making helm install --wait and helm upgrade --wait more reliable in busy clusters.
Release history handling
Re‑installing a chart that was previously removed with --keep-history now works without manual cleanup, thanks to a new helper that correctly detects an uninstalled release.
Kubeconfig and index loading fixes
Namespace errors originating from malformed kubeconfig files are resolved, and alias validation errors no longer block index loading, improving the developer experience when working with remote repositories.
OCI getter and proxy support
The OCI getter now respects proxy settings, enabling smoother chart pulls from private registries behind corporate proxies.
FAQ
How do I enable secret masking for a dry‑run?
Add the new flag --hide-secret-values (or set the corresponding environment variable) when running helm install or helm upgrade with --dry-run. The command will then replace secret data with ****** in the output.
Will the wait improvements affect existing CI pipelines?
The changes are backward compatible; they only make the wait loop more tolerant. Pipelines that already use --wait will see fewer false‑negative timeouts.
What should I do if a chart fails to reinstall after a --keep-history uninstall?
In Helm 3.15 the issue is fixed. Simply run the install command again; Helm will detect the stale release entry and clean it up automatically.
Do I need to update my kubeconfig files after upgrading?
No manual changes are required. The release fixes namespace handling internally, so existing kubeconfig files continue to work.
Is proxy support for OCI getters enabled by default?
Yes. Helm now reads standard proxy environment variables (HTTP_PROXY, HTTPS_PROXY, NO_PROXY) when pulling charts from OCI registries.