# kubectl shell

Although the Portainer UI provides access to a lot of Kubernetes functionality, sometimes you need to drop into the console. We have provided a shell within the UI that includes `kubectl` and `helm` binaries. The shell is preloaded with a `kubeconfig` for the user's context, restricting access to the permissions defined in Portainer for that user.

To access the shell, select **kubectl shell** from the menu. Once the shell loads, you can run `kubectl` and `helm` commands as needed.

<figure><img src="https://3850702872-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FXI7douejaBgpZ6CP2zJf%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-5576183fad2758d00a5debbcddd1910cd0c8ea30%2F2.33-kube-shell.gif?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>