---
name: "greetd"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "greetd"
version: "0.10.3-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/greetd/5"
---

# greetd(5)

configuration file

## NAME

greetd - configuration file

## DESCRIPTION

greetd uses a simple TOML configuration file to define its behavior.

## CONFIGURATION

The configuration is divided into **sections**. Sections are delimited like so:

```
[section_name]
config_key = value
```

Configuration keys can be integer literals, or quote-delimited strings. The configuration sections are described below.

### terminal

This section contains terminal configuration.

**vt** = num\|"next"\|"current"

The VT to run on. Can be the number of a specific VT, "next" to select the next available VT, or "current" to stay wherever greetd was started. The specific VT is evaluated at startup, and does not change during the execution of greetd.

If using the current or a specific VT, you must ensure that there are no other users of that VT. If using systemd with autovt and getty, conflict avoidance can be handled in the service unit with "Conflicts=getty@ttyN.service", where N is the VT number.

Use of a specific VT with appropriate conflict avoidance is recommended.

**switch** = true\|false

Whether or not to switch to **vt**.

If set to false and **vt** is not currently active VT, greetd will wait for **vt** to become active, before doing anything including starting greeter.

If set to true, greetd will switch current VT to **vt**,

Default is true.

### general

This section contains general configuration that does not fit in other sections nor deserved its own section.

**source\_profile** = true\|false

Whether or not to source ~/.profile and /etc/profile if present when running commands. Defaults to true.

**runfile** = path-to-runfile

Location of greetd's runfile that is created during the first run to prevent the initial session from being run again on session termination or on greetd restart.

This file should be in a location that is cleared during a reboot.

### default\_session

This section describes the default session, also referred to as the **greeter**.

**command** = command-line

The command-line that greetd will run to start the default session, e.g. "agreety -c sway". The default session is automatically started when no other session is running, such as when a user session terminates or when greetd is initially started with no initial session configured.

The command-line is run by [**sh**(1)](/sh/1.md), and as such accepts standard POSIX shell syntax.

See [**greetd-ipc**(7)](/greetd-ipc/7.md) for information on how a greeter can create sessions.

**user** = user

The user to use for running the greeter. Defaults to "greeter".

### initial\_session

This optional section describes the initial session, commonly referred to as "auto-login".

The initial session will only be executed during the first run of greetd since boot in order to ensure signing out works properly and to prevent security issues whenever greetd or the greeter exit. This is checked through the presence of the runfile.

**command** = command-line

The command-line that greetd will run to start the initial session, e.g. "sway". The initial session will be started exactly once when greetd is initially launched.

The command-line is run by [**sh**(1)](/sh/1.md), and as such accepts standard POSIX shell syntax.

**user** = user

The user to use for running the initial session.

## EXAMPLES

### Regular setup with agreety and sway

```
[terminal]
vt = 1
[default_session]
command = "agreety -c sway"
```

### Auto-login

```
[terminal]
vt = 1
[default_session]
command = "agreety -c sway"
[initial_session]
command = "sway"
user = "john"
```

## AUTHORS

Maintained by Kenny Levinsen \<contact@kl.wtf\>. For more information about greetd development, see https://git.sr.ht/~kennylevinsen/greetd.

## SEE ALSO

[**greetd**(1)](/greetd/1.md) [**greetd-ipc**(7)](/greetd-ipc/7.md)