---
name: "kanshi"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "kanshi"
version: "1.9.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kanshi"
---

# kanshi(1)

dynamic output configuration

## NAME

kanshi - dynamic output configuration

## SYNOPSIS

**kanshi** \[options...\]

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  Show help message and quit.

- **-c, --config** \<config\>

  Specifies a config file.

- **-l, --listen-fd** \<fd\>

  Listen on the specified file descriptor for IPC.

## DESCRIPTION

kanshi is a Wayland daemon that automatically configures outputs.

kanshi is configured with a list of output profiles. Each profile contains a set of outputs. A profile will be automatically activated if all specified outputs are currently connected. A profile contains configuration for each output.

If kanshi receives a SIGHUP signal, it will reread its config file.

## CONFIGURATION

kanshi reads its configuration from **$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/kanshi/config**. If unset, **$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME** defaults to **~/.config**.

An error is raised if no configuration file is found.

For information on the configuration file format, see [**kanshi**(5)](/kanshi/5.md).

## AUTHORS

Maintained by Simon Ser \<contact@emersion.fr\>, who is assisted by other open-source contributors. For more information about kanshi development, see \<https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/emersion/kanshi\>.

## SEE ALSO

[**kanshi**(5)](/kanshi/5.md) [**kanshictl**(1)](/kanshictl/1.md)