---
name: "e2label"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "e2fsprogs"
version: "1.47.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/e2label"
---

# e2label(8)

Change the label on an ext2/ext3/ext4 file system

## NAME

e2label - Change the label on an ext2/ext3/ext4 file system

## SYNOPSIS

**e2label** *device* \[ *volume-label* \]

## DESCRIPTION

**e2label** will display or change the volume label on the ext2, ext3, or ext4 file system located on *device.*

If the optional argument *volume-label* is not present, **e2label** will simply display the current volume label.

If the optional argument *volume-label* is present, then **e2label** will set the volume label to be *volume-label*. Ext2 volume labels can be at most 16 characters long; if *volume-label* is longer than 16 characters, **e2label** will truncate it and print a warning message.  For other file systems that support online label manipulation and are mounted **e2label** will work as well, but it will not attempt to truncate the *volume-label* at all.

It is also possible to set the volume label using the **-L** option of [**tune2fs**(8)](/tune2fs/8.md).

## AUTHOR

**e2label** was written by Theodore Ts'o (tytso@mit.edu).

## AVAILABILITY

**e2label** is part of the e2fsprogs package and is available from http://e2fsprogs.sourceforge.net.

## SEE ALSO

[**mke2fs**(8)](/mke2fs/8.md), [**tune2fs**(8)](/tune2fs/8.md)