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

# automountd(8)

daemon handling autofs mount requests

## NAME

**automountd** – daemon handling autofs mount requests

## SYNOPSIS

**automountd** \[**-D** *name=value*\] \[**-i**\] \[**-m** *maxproc*\] \[**-o** *options*\] \[**-d**\] \[**-v**\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **automountd** daemon is responsible for handling [autofs(4)](/autofs/4.md) mount requests, parsing maps, and mounting filesystems they specify. On startup, **automountd** forks into background and waits for kernel requests. When a request is received, **automountd** forks a child process. The child process parses the appropriate map and mounts filesystems accordingly. Then it signals the kernel to release blocked processes that were waiting for the mount.

- **-D**

  Define a variable.

- **-i**

  For indirect mounts, only create subdirectories if there are no wildcard entries. Without **-i**, **automountd** creates all the subdirectories it can. Users may not realize that the wildcard map entry makes it possible to access directories that have not yet been created.

- **-m** *maxproc*

  Limit the number of forked **automountd** processes, and thus the number of mount requests being handled in parallel. The default is 30.

- **-d**

  Debug mode: increase verbosity and do not daemonize.

- **-o** *options*

  Specify mount options. Options specified here will be overridden by options entered in maps or [auto\_master(5)](/auto_master/5.md).

- **-v**

  Increase verbosity.

## EXIT STATUS

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

## SEE ALSO

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

## HISTORY

The **automountd** daemon appeared in FreeBSD 10.1.

## AUTHORS

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