---
name: "automount"
section: "8"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/automount"
---

# automount(8)

update autofs mounts

## NAME

**automount** – update autofs mounts

## SYNOPSIS

**automount** \[**-D** *name=value*\] \[**-L**\] \[**-c**\] \[**-f**\] \[**-o** *options*\] \[**-v**\] \[**-u**\]

## DESCRIPTION

When called without options, the **automount** command parses the [auto\_master(5)](/auto_master/5.md) configuration file and any direct maps that it references, and mounts or unmounts [autofs(4)](/autofs/4.md) filesystems to match. These options are available:

- **-D**

  Define a variable. It is only useful with **-L**.

- **-L**

  Do not mount or unmount anything. Instead parse [auto\_master(5)](/auto_master/5.md) and any direct maps, then print them to standard output. When specified more than once, all the maps, including indirect ones, will be parsed and shown. This is useful when debugging configuration problems.

- **-c**

  Flush caches, discarding possibly stale information obtained from maps and directory services.

- **-f**

  Force unmount, to be used with **-u**.

- **-o**

  Specify mount options to be used along with the ones specified in the maps. It is only useful with **-L**.

- **-u**

  Try to unmount filesystems mounted by [automountd(8)](/automountd/8.md). [autofs(4)](/autofs/4.md) mounts are not unmounted. To unmount all [autofs(4)](/autofs/4.md) mounts, use **umount -At autofs**.

- **-v**

  Increase verbosity.

## EXIT STATUS

The **automount** utility exits 0 on success, and \>0 if an error occurs.

## EXAMPLES

Unmount all filesystems mounted by [automountd(8)](/automountd/8.md):

```
automount -u
```

## SEE ALSO

[autofs(4)](/autofs/4.md), [auto\_master(5)](/auto_master/5.md), [automountd(8)](/automountd/8.md), [autounmountd(8)](/autounmountd/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **automount** command appeared in FreeBSD 10.1.

## AUTHORS

The **automount** was developed by Edward Tomasz Napierala ⟨*trasz@FreeBSD.org*⟩ under sponsorship from the FreeBSD Foundation.