---
name: "icewm-prefoverride"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "icewm"
version: "4.1.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/icewm-prefoverride"
---

# icewm-prefoverride(5)

### NAME

```
 icewm-prefoverride - override themable preferences file
```

### SYNOPSIS

```
 $ICEWM_PRIVCFG/prefoverride
 $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/icewm/prefoverride
 $HOME/.icewm/prefoverride
 /usr/etc/icewm/prefoverride
 /usr/share/icewm/prefoverride
```

### DESCRIPTION

Settings that override the settings from a theme.  Some of the **icewm** preferences that control the look may be set by the theme. However, the settings in this *prefoverride* file override that. It is safe to leave this file empty initially. Note that this file is meant for themable preferences and a few icewm startup settings cannot be set here, like `"Splash"`.

### FILES

Locations for the *prefoverride* file are as follows:

```
 $ICEWM_PRIVCFG/prefoverride
 $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/icewm/prefoverride
 $HOME/.icewm/prefoverride
 /usr/etc/icewm/prefoverride
 /usr/share/icewm/prefoverride
```

The locations are searched in the order listed; the first file found is read and the remainder ignored.

### SEE ALSO

[**icewm**(1)](/icewm/1.md), [**icewm-preferences**(5)](/icewm-preferences/5.md).

### AUTHOR

Brian Bidulock \<mailto:bidulock@openss7.org\>.

### LICENSE

**IceWM** is licensed under the GNU Library General Public License. See the *COPYING* file in the distribution.