---
name: "flatpak-spawn"
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-spawn"
---

# flatpak-spawn(1)

Run commands in a sandbox

## NAME

flatpak-spawn - Run commands in a sandbox

## SYNOPSIS

**flatpak-spawn** \[OPTION...\] COMMAND \[ARGUMENT...\]

## DESCRIPTION

Unlike other flatpak commands, **flatpak-spawn** is available to applications inside the sandbox. It runs COMMAND outside the sandbox: either in another sandbox, or on the host.

When called without **--host**, **flatpak-spawn** uses the Flatpak portal to create a copy of the sandbox it was called from, optionally using tighter permissions and optionally the latest version of the app and runtime (see **--latest-version**).

## OPTIONS

The following options are understood:

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

  Show help options and exit.

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

  Print debug information

- **--forward-fd=FD**

  Forward a file descriptor

- **--clear-env**

  Run with a clean environment

- **--watch-bus**

  Make the spawned command exit when **flatpak-spawn** itself exits; notably, this occurs when its connection to the session bus is closed.

- **--env=VAR=VALUE**

  Set an environment variable

- **--latest-version**

  Use the latest version of the refs that are used to set up the sandbox

- **--no-network**

  Run without network access

- **--sandbox**

  Run fully sandboxed. See the documentation for the **--sandbox** option in [**flatpak-run**(1)](/flatpak-run/1.md)

  See the **--sandbox-expose** and **--sandbox-expose-ro** options for selective file access.

- **--sandbox-expose=NAME**

  Expose read-write access to a file in the sandbox.

  Note that absolute paths or subdirectories are not allowed. The files must be in the sandbox subdirectory of the instance directory (i.e. ~/.var/app/$APP\_ID/sandbox).

  This option is useful in combination with **--sandbox** (otherwise the instance directory is accessible anyway).

- **--sandbox-expose-ro=NAME**

  Expose readonly access to a file in the sandbox.

  Note that absolute paths or subdirectories are not allowed. The files must be in the sandbox subdirectory of the instance directory (i.e. ~/.var/app/$APP\_ID/sandbox).

  This option is useful in combination with **--sandbox** (otherwise the instance directory is accessible anyway).

- **--host**

  Run the command unsandboxed on the host. This requires access to the org.freedesktop.Flatpak D-Bus interface.

- **--directory=DIR**

  The working directory in which to run the command.

  Note that the given directory must exist in the sandbox or, when used in conjunction with **--host**, on the host.

## EXAMPLES

**$ flatpak-spawn ls /var/run**

## SEE ALSO

[**flatpak**(1)](/flatpak/1.md)