---
name: "flatpak-pin"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "flatpak"
version: "1:1.18.4-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/flatpak-pin"
---

# flatpak-pin(1)

Pin runtimes to prevent automatic removal

## NAME

flatpak-pin - Pin runtimes to prevent automatic removal

## SYNOPSIS

**flatpak pin** \[OPTION...\] PATTERN...

## DESCRIPTION

Flatpak maintains a list of patterns that define which refs are pinned. A pinned ref will never be automatically uninstalled (as are unused runtimes periodically). This can be useful if for example you are using a runtime for development purposes.

Runtimes that are explicitly installed, rather than installed as a dependency of something else, are automatically pinned.

The patterns are just a partial ref, with the \* character matching anything within that part of the ref. Only runtimes can be pinned, not apps. Here are some example patterns:

```
org.some.Runtime
org.some.Runtime//unstable
runtime/org.domain.*
org.some.Runtime/arm
```

To list the current set of pins, run this command without any patterns.

## OPTIONS

The following options are understood:

- **-h**, **--help**

  Show help options and exit.

- **--remove**

  Instead of adding the patterns, remove matching patterns.

- **-u**, **--user**

  Pin refs in a per-user installation.

- **--system**

  Pin refs in the default system-wide installation.

- **--installation=NAME**

  Pin refs in a system-wide installation specified by NAME among those defined in /etc/flatpak/installations.d/. Using **--installation=default** is equivalent to using **--system**.

- **-v**, **--verbose**

  Print debug information during command processing.

## EXAMPLES

**$ flatpak pin**

**$ flatpak pin org.freedesktop.Platform//19.08**

**$ flatpak pin --remove org.freedesktop.Platform//19.08**

## SEE ALSO

[**flatpak**(1)](/flatpak/1.md), [**flatpak-uninstall**(1)](/flatpak-uninstall/1.md),