---
name: "grub-install"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "grub"
version: "2:2.16-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/grub-install"
---

# grub-install(8)

install GRUB to a device

## NAME

grub-install - install GRUB to a device

## SYNOPSIS

**grub-install** \[*OPTION*...\] \[*OPTION*\] \[*INSTALL\_DEVICE*\]

## DESCRIPTION

Install GRUB on your drive.

- **--appended-signature-size**=*SIZE*

  Add a note segment reserving SIZE bytes for an appended signature

- **--compress**=*no*\|xz\|gz\|lzo

  compress GRUB files \[optional\]

- **--disable-cli**

  disabled command line interface access

- **--disable-shim-lock**

  disable shim\_lock verifier

- **--dtb**=*FILE*

  embed a specific DTB

- **-d**, **--directory**=*DIR*

  use images and modules under DIR \[default=/usr/lib/grub/\<platform\>\]

- **--fonts**=*FONTS*

  install FONTS \[default=unicode\]

- **--install-modules**=*MODULES*

  install only MODULES and their dependencies \[default=all\]

- **-k**, **--pubkey**=*FILE*

  embed FILE as public key for signature checking

- **--locale-directory**=*DIR* use translations under DIR

  \[default=/usr/share/locale\]

- **--locales**=*LOCALES*

  install only LOCALES \[default=all\]

- **--modules**=*MODULES*

  pre-load specified modules MODULES

- **--sbat**=*FILE*

  SBAT metadata

- **--themes**=*THEMES*

  install THEMES \[default=starfield\]

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

  print verbose messages.

- **-x**, **--x509key**=*FILE*

  embed FILE as an x509 certificate for appended signature checking

- **--allow-floppy**

  make the drive also bootable as floppy (default for fdX devices). May break on some BIOSes.

- **--boot-directory**=*DIR*

  install GRUB images under the directory DIR/grub instead of the boot/grub directory

- **--bootloader-id**=*ID*

  the ID of bootloader. This option is only available on EFI and Macs.

- **--core-compress**=*xz*\|none\|auto

  choose the compression to use for core image

- **--disk-module**=*MODULE*

  disk module to use (biosdisk or native). This option is only available on BIOS target.

- **--efi-directory**=*DIR*

  use DIR as the EFI System Partition root.

- **--force**

  install even if problems are detected

- **--force-file-id**

  use identifier file even if UUID is available

- **--label-bgcolor**=*COLOR*

  use COLOR for label background

- **--label-color**=*COLOR*

  use COLOR for label

- **--label-font**=*FILE*

  use FILE as font for label

**--macppc-directory**=*DIR* use DIR for PPC MAC install.

- **--no-bootsector**

  do not install bootsector

- **--no-nvram**

  don't update the \`boot-device'/\`Boot\*' NVRAM variables. This option is only available on EFI and IEEE1275 targets.

- **--no-rs-codes**

  Do not apply any reed-solomon codes when embedding core.img. This option is only available on x86 BIOS targets.

- **--product-version**=*STRING*

  use STRING as product version

- **--recheck**

  delete device map if it already exists

- **--removable**

  the installation device is removable. This option is only available on EFI.

- **-s**, **--skip-fs-probe**

  do not probe for filesystems in DEVICE

- **--target**=*TARGET*

  install GRUB for TARGET platform \[default=x86\_64-efi\]; available targets: arm-coreboot, arm-efi, arm-uboot, arm64-efi, i386-coreboot, i386-efi, i386-ieee1275, i386-multiboot, i386-pc, i386-qemu, i386-xen, i386-xen\_pvh, ia64-efi, loongarch64-efi, mips-arc, mips-qemu\_mips, mipsel-arc, mipsel-loongson, mipsel-qemu\_mips, powerpc-ieee1275, riscv32-efi, riscv64-efi, sparc64-ieee1275, x86\_64-efi, x86\_64-xen

- \-?, **--help**

  give this help list

- **--usage**

  give a short usage message

- **-V**, **--version**

  print program version

Mandatory or optional arguments to long options are also mandatory or optional for any corresponding short options.

INSTALL\_DEVICE must be system device filename. grub-install copies GRUB images into boot/grub.  On some platforms, it may also install GRUB into the boot sector.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to \<bug-grub@gnu.org\>.

## SEE ALSO

[**grub-mkconfig**(8)](/grub-mkconfig/8.md), [**grub-mkimage**(1)](/grub-mkimage/1.md), [**grub-mkrescue**(1)](/grub-mkrescue/1.md)

The full documentation for **grub-install** is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the **info** and **grub-install** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

-

  **info grub-install**

should give you access to the complete manual.