---
name: "chgrp"
section: "1"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/chgrp"
---

# chgrp(1)

change group

## NAME

**chgrp** – change group

## SYNOPSIS

**chgrp** \[**-fhvx**\]\[ **-R** \[**-H** \| **-L** \| **-P**\]\] *group* *file ...*

## DESCRIPTION

The **chgrp** utility sets the group ID of the file named by each *file* operand to the *group* ID specified by the group operand.

The following options are available:

- **-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.)

- **-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 group ID 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 “.\*”.

- **-f**

  The force option ignores errors, except for usage errors and does not query about strange modes (unless the user does not have proper permissions).

- **-h**

  If the file is a symbolic link, the group ID of the link itself is changed rather than the file that is pointed to.

- **-v**

  Cause **chgrp** to be verbose, showing files as the group is modified. If the **-v** flag is specified more than once, **chgrp** will print the filename, followed by the old and new numeric group ID.

- **-x**

  File system mount points are not traversed.

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.

The *group* operand can be either a group name from the group database, or a numeric group ID. If a group name is also a numeric group ID, the operand is used as a group name.

The user invoking **chgrp** must belong to the specified group and be the owner of the file, or be the super-user.

If **chgrp** 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 group names are displayed.

## FILES

- */etc/group*

  group ID file

## EXIT STATUS

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

## COMPATIBILITY

In previous versions of this system, symbolic links did not have groups.

The **-v** and **-x** options are non-standard and their use in scripts is not recommended.

## SEE ALSO

[chown(2)](/chown/2.md), [fts(3)](/fts/3.md), [group(5)](/group/5.md), [passwd(5)](/passwd/5.md), [groups(7)](/groups/7.md), [symlink(7)](/symlink/7.md), [chown(8)](/chown/8.md)

## STANDARDS

The **chgrp** utility is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (“POSIX.2”) compatible.