---
name: "chflags"
section: "1"
platform: "macos"
package: "file_cmds"
version: "479"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/chflags"
---

# chflags(1)

change file flags

## NAME

**chflags** – change file flags

## SYNOPSIS

**chflags** \[**-fhvx**\]\[ **-R** \[**-H** \| **-L** \| **-P**\]\] *flags* *file ...*

## DESCRIPTION

The **chflags** utility modifies the file flags of the listed files as specified by the *flags* operand.

The options are as follows:

- **-f**

  Do not display a diagnostic message if **chflags** could not modify the flags for *file*, nor modify the exit status to reflect such failures.

- **-H**

  If the **-R** option is specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed and hence unaffected by the command. (Symbolic links encountered during traversal are not followed.)

- **-h**

  If the *file* is a symbolic link, change the file flags of the link itself rather than the file to which it points.

- **-L**

  If the **-R** option is specified, all symbolic links are followed.

- **-P**

  If the **-R** option is specified, no symbolic links are followed. This is the default.

- **-R**

  Change the file flags of the file hierarchies rooted in the files, instead of just the files themselves. Beware of unintentionally matching the “*..*” hard link to the parent directory when using wildcards like “.\*”.

- **-v**

  Cause **chflags** to be verbose, showing filenames as the flags are modified. If the **-v** option is specified more than once, the old and new flags of the file will also be printed, in octal notation.

- **-x**

  Do not cross mount points.

The flags are specified as an octal number or a comma separated list of keywords. The following keywords are currently defined:

- **arch**, **archived**

  set the archived flag (super-user only)

- **nodump**

  set the nodump flag (owner or super-user only)

- **opaque**

  set the opaque flag (owner or super-user only) \[Directory is opaque when viewed through a union mount\]

- **sappnd**, **sappend**

  set the system append-only flag (super-user only)

- **schg**, **schange**, **simmutable**

  set the system immutable flag (super-user only)

- **uappnd**, **uappend**

  set the user append-only flag (owner or super-user only)

- **uchg**, **uchange**, **uimmutable**

  set the user immutable flag (owner or super-user only)

- **hidden**

  set the hidden flag \[Hide item from GUI\]

Putting the letters “*no*” before or removing the letters “*no*” from a keyword causes the flag to be cleared. For example:

- **nouchg**

  clear the user immutable flag (owner or super-user only)

- **dump**

  clear the nodump flag (owner or super-user only)

Unless the **-H** or **-L** options are given, **chflags** on a symbolic link always succeeds and has no effect. The **-H**, **-L** and **-P** options are ignored unless the **-R** option is specified. In addition, these options override each other and the command's actions are determined by the last one specified.

You can use "ls -lO" to see the flags of existing files.

If **chflags** receives a SIGINFO signal (see the **status** argument for [stty(1)](/stty/1.md)), then the current filename as well as the old and new flags are displayed.

## EXIT STATUS

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

## EXAMPLES

Recursively clear all flags on files and directories contained within the *foobar* directory hierarchy:

```
chflags -R 0 foobar
```

## SEE ALSO

[ls(1)](/ls/1.md), [chflags(2)](/chflags/2.md), [stat(2)](/stat/2.md), [fts(3)](/fts/3.md), [symlink(7)](/symlink/7.md)

## HISTORY

The **chflags** command first appeared in 4.4BSD.

## BUGS

Only a limited number of utilities are **chflags** aware. Some of these tools include [ls(1)](/ls/1.md), [cp(1)](/cp/1.md), [find(1)](/find/1.md), [install(1)](/install/1.md), [dump(8)](/dump/8.md), and [restore(8)](/restore/8.md). In particular a tool which is not currently **chflags** aware is the [pax(1)](/pax/1.md) utility.