---
name: "gnome-screensaver-command"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "gnome-screensaver"
version: "3.6.1-14"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/gnome-screensaver-command"
---

# gnome-screensaver-command(1)

controls GNOME screensaver

## NAME

gnome-screensaver-command - controls GNOME screensaver

## SYNOPSIS

**gnome-screensaver-command** \[*OPTION...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

gnome-screensaver-command is a tool for controlling an already running instance of gnome-screensaver.

## OPTIONS

- **--exit**

  Causes the screensaver to exit gracefully

- **-q, --query**

  Query the state of the screensaver

- **-t, --time**

  Query the length of time the screensaver has been active

- **-l, --lock**

  Tells the running screensaver process to lock the screen immediately

- **-a, --activate**

  Turn the screensaver on (blank the screen)

- **-d, --deactivate**

  If the screensaver is active then deactivate it (un-blank the screen)

- **-V, --version**

  Version of this application

## AUTHORS

**gnome-screensaver-command** is written by William Jon McCann \<mccann@jhu.edu\>.

This manual page was written by Sven Arvidsson \<sa@whiz.se\>.

## SEE ALSO

[**gnome-screensaver**(1)](/gnome-screensaver/1.md)