diff --git a/src/common/user-store/preferences-helpers.ts b/src/common/user-store/preferences-helpers.ts
index 59f201f55f..d23f9a89dd 100644
--- a/src/common/user-store/preferences-helpers.ts
+++ b/src/common/user-store/preferences-helpers.ts
@@ -200,6 +200,19 @@ const openAtLogin: PreferenceDescription<boolean> = {
   },
 };
 
+const extensionRegistryUrl: PreferenceDescription<boolean | string> = {
+  fromStore(val) {
+    return val ?? false;
+  },
+  toStore(val) {
+    if (val === false) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+
+    return val;
+  }
+};
+
 const hiddenTableColumns: PreferenceDescription<[string, string[]][], Map<string, ObservableToggleSet<string>>> = {
   fromStore(val) {
     return new Map(
@@ -271,6 +284,7 @@ export const DESCRIPTORS = {
   downloadBinariesPath,
   kubectlBinariesPath,
   openAtLogin,
+  extensionRegistryUrl,
   hiddenTableColumns,
   syncKubeconfigEntries,
   editorConfiguration,
diff --git a/src/common/user-store/user-store.ts b/src/common/user-store/user-store.ts
index ee0022da1b..ad85065b9d 100644
--- a/src/common/user-store/user-store.ts
+++ b/src/common/user-store/user-store.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,22 @@ export class UserStore extends BaseStore<UserStoreModel> /* implements UserStore
   @observable downloadBinariesPath?: string;
   @observable kubectlBinariesPath?: string;
 
+  /**
+   * The extension registry URL
+   * - If `true` then used the registry configured in the `~/.npmrc`
+   * - If `false` then the default location
+   * - If a string, then use that
+   */
+  @observable extensionRegistryUrl: boolean | string;
+
+  @computed get getUseConfiguredExtensionRegistryUrl(): boolean {
+    if (typeof this.extensionRegistryUrl === "boolean") {
+      return this.extensionRegistryUrl;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Download kubectl binaries matching cluster version
    */
@@ -209,6 +225,7 @@ export class UserStore extends BaseStore<UserStoreModel> /* implements UserStore
     this.downloadBinariesPath = DESCRIPTORS.downloadBinariesPath.fromStore(preferences?.downloadBinariesPath);
     this.kubectlBinariesPath = DESCRIPTORS.kubectlBinariesPath.fromStore(preferences?.kubectlBinariesPath);
     this.openAtLogin = DESCRIPTORS.openAtLogin.fromStore(preferences?.openAtLogin);
+    this.extensionRegistryUrl = DESCRIPTORS.extensionRegistryUrl.fromStore(preferences?.extensionRegistryUrl);
     this.hiddenTableColumns.replace(DESCRIPTORS.hiddenTableColumns.fromStore(preferences?.hiddenTableColumns));
     this.syncKubeconfigEntries.replace(DESCRIPTORS.syncKubeconfigEntries.fromStore(preferences?.syncKubeconfigEntries));
     this.editorConfiguration = DESCRIPTORS.editorConfiguration.fromStore(preferences?.editorConfiguration);
@@ -230,6 +247,7 @@ export class UserStore extends BaseStore<UserStoreModel> /* implements UserStore
         downloadBinariesPath: DESCRIPTORS.downloadBinariesPath.toStore(this.downloadBinariesPath),
         kubectlBinariesPath: DESCRIPTORS.kubectlBinariesPath.toStore(this.kubectlBinariesPath),
         openAtLogin: DESCRIPTORS.openAtLogin.toStore(this.openAtLogin),
+        extensionRegistryUrl: DESCRIPTORS.extensionRegistryUrl.toStore(this.extensionRegistryUrl),
         hiddenTableColumns: DESCRIPTORS.hiddenTableColumns.toStore(this.hiddenTableColumns),
         syncKubeconfigEntries: DESCRIPTORS.syncKubeconfigEntries.toStore(this.syncKubeconfigEntries),
         editorConfiguration: DESCRIPTORS.editorConfiguration.toStore(this.editorConfiguration),
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/+extensions/extensions.tsx b/src/renderer/components/+extensions/extensions.tsx
index 97c9aa9e82..e40b5f08d2 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/+extensions/extensions.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/+extensions/extensions.tsx
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import { Notice } from "./notice";
 import { SettingLayout } from "../layout/setting-layout";
 import { docsUrl } from "../../../common/vars";
 import { dialog } from "../../remote-helpers";
+import { UserStore } from "../../../common/user-store";
 
 function getMessageFromError(error: any): string {
   if (!error || typeof error !== "object") {
@@ -299,9 +300,19 @@ async function unpackExtension(request: InstallRequestValidated, disposeDownload
   }
 }
 
-const defaultBaseRegistryUrl = "https://registry.npmjs.com";
+export const defaultBaseRegistryUrl = "https://registry.npmjs.com";
 
 async function getBaseRegistryUrl(): Promise<string> {
+  const userStore = UserStore.getInstance();
+
+  if (userStore.extensionRegistryUrl === false) {
+    return defaultBaseRegistryUrl;
+  }
+
+  if (typeof userStore.extensionRegistryUrl === "string") {
+    return userStore.extensionRegistryUrl;
+  }
+
   try {
     const filteredEnv = Object.fromEntries(
       Object.entries(process.env)
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/+preferences/application.tsx b/src/renderer/components/+preferences/application.tsx
index ac05012f2f..60aa794f0a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/+preferences/application.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/+preferences/application.tsx
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import { Input } from "../input";
 import { isWindows } from "../../../common/vars";
 import { FormSwitch, Switcher } from "../switch";
 import moment from "moment-timezone";
+import { defaultBaseRegistryUrl } from "../+extensions";
+import { Checkbox } from "../mui/checkbox";
 
 const timezoneOptions: SelectOption<string>[] = moment.tz.names().map(zone => ({
   label: zone,
@@ -43,8 +45,13 @@ export const Application = observer(() => {
         ? "powershell.exe"
         : "System default shell"
     );
-
-  const [shell, setShell] = React.useState(UserStore.getInstance().shell || "");
+  const userStore = UserStore.getInstance();
+  const [shell, setShell] = React.useState(userStore.shell || "");
+  const [extensionRegistryUrl, setExtensionRegistryUrl] = React.useState(
+    typeof userStore.extensionRegistryUrl === "string"
+      ? userStore.extensionRegistryUrl
+      : ""
+  );
 
   return (
     <section id="application">
@@ -53,8 +60,8 @@ export const Application = observer(() => {
         <SubTitle title="Theme"/>
         <Select
           options={ThemeStore.getInstance().themeOptions}
-          value={UserStore.getInstance().colorTheme}
-          onChange={({ value }: SelectOption) => UserStore.getInstance().colorTheme = value}
+          value={userStore.colorTheme}
+          onChange={({ value }: SelectOption) => userStore.colorTheme = value}
           themeName="lens"
         />
       </section>
@@ -68,8 +75,35 @@ export const Application = observer(() => {
           placeholder={defaultShell}
           value={shell}
           onChange={v => setShell(v)}
-          onBlur={() => UserStore.getInstance().shell = shell}
+          onBlur={() => userStore.shell = shell}
         />
+      </section><hr />
+
+      <section id="registry">
+        <SubTitle title="Extension registry" />
+        <FormSwitch
+          control={
+            <Checkbox
+              checked={userStore.getUseConfiguredExtensionRegistryUrl}
+              indeterminate={typeof userStore.extensionRegistryUrl === "string"}
+              onChange={(event, checked) => {
+                userStore.extensionRegistryUrl = checked;
+                setExtensionRegistryUrl("");
+              }}
+            />
+          }
+          label="Use .npmrc configuration"
+        />
+        <Input
+          theme="round-black"
+          placeholder={defaultBaseRegistryUrl}
+          value={extensionRegistryUrl}
+          onChange={setExtensionRegistryUrl}
+          onBlur={() => userStore.extensionRegistryUrl = extensionRegistryUrl}
+        />
+        <small className="hint">
+          The registry URL for installing extensions by name.
+        </small>
       </section>
 
       <hr/>
@@ -79,8 +113,8 @@ export const Application = observer(() => {
         <FormSwitch
           control={
             <Switcher
-              checked={UserStore.getInstance().openAtLogin}
-              onChange={v => UserStore.getInstance().openAtLogin = v.target.checked}
+              checked={userStore.openAtLogin}
+              onChange={v => userStore.openAtLogin = v.target.checked}
               name="startup"
             />
           }
@@ -94,8 +128,8 @@ export const Application = observer(() => {
         <SubTitle title="Locale Timezone" />
         <Select
           options={timezoneOptions}
-          value={UserStore.getInstance().localeTimezone}
-          onChange={({ value }: SelectOption) => UserStore.getInstance().setLocaleTimezone(value)}
+          value={userStore.localeTimezone}
+          onChange={({ value }: SelectOption) => userStore.setLocaleTimezone(value)}
           themeName="lens"
         />
       </section>
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/mui/checkbox/checkbox.tsx b/src/renderer/components/mui/checkbox/checkbox.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b612ae5309
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/components/mui/checkbox/checkbox.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2021 OpenLens Authors
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
+ * this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
+ * the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to
+ * use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of
+ * the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+ * subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
+ * COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER
+ * IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
+ * CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+import { Checkbox as MuiCheckbox, CheckboxClassKey, CheckboxProps, createStyles, Theme, withStyles } from "@material-ui/core";
+import React from "react";
+
+interface Styles extends Partial<Record<CheckboxClassKey, string>> {
+}
+
+interface Props extends CheckboxProps {
+  classes: Styles;
+}
+
+export const Checkbox = withStyles((theme: Theme) =>
+  createStyles({
+    root: {
+      width: 40,
+      height: 24,
+      padding: 0,
+      margin: "0 0 0 8px",
+    },
+    colorPrimary: { },
+    colorSecondary: { },
+    checked: {},
+    disabled: {},
+    indeterminate: {},
+    input: {},
+  }),
+)(({ classes, ...props }: Props) => {
+  return (
+    <MuiCheckbox
+      classes={{
+        root: classes.root,
+        colorPrimary: classes.colorPrimary,
+        colorSecondary: classes.colorSecondary,
+        checked: classes.checked,
+        disabled: classes.disabled,
+        indeterminate: classes.indeterminate,
+        input: classes.input,
+      }}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  );
+});
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/mui/checkbox/index.ts b/src/renderer/components/mui/checkbox/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4a3409d56b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/components/mui/checkbox/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2021 OpenLens Authors
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
+ * this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
+ * the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to
+ * use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of
+ * the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+ * subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
+ * COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER
+ * IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
+ * CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+export * from "./checkbox";