---
name: "chgrp"
section: "1"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/chgrp"
---

# chgrp(1)

change group

## NAME

**chgrp** – change group

## SYNOPSIS

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

## DESCRIPTION

**chgrp** sets the group ID of the specified files.

The options are as follows:

- **-H**

  If the **-R** option is specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed. Symbolic links encountered in the tree traversal are not followed.

- **-h**

  Treat symbolic links like other files: modify links instead of following them. The **-h** and **-R** options are mutually exclusive.

- **-L**

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

- **-P**

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

- **-R**

  Recurse. Where *file* is a directory, change the group ID of the directory and all the files and directories in the file hierarchy below it.

The **-H**, **-L**, and **-P** options are ignored unless the **-R** option is specified; if none of them are given, the default is to not follow symbolic links. 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.

By default, **chgrp** clears the set-user-ID and set-group-ID bits on the file to prevent accidental or mischievous creation of set-user-ID and set-group-ID programs.

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

## FILES

- */etc/group*

  group ID file

## EXIT STATUS

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

## SEE ALSO

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

## STANDARDS

The **chgrp** utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2024 (“POSIX.1”) specification.