---
name: "kdesu"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "kde-cli-tools"
version: "6.8.2-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kdesu"
---

# kdesu(1)

Runs a program with elevated privileges

## NAME

kdesu - Runs a program with elevated privileges

## SYNOPSIS

**kdesu** \[**-c** *command*\] \[**-d**\] \[**-f** *file*\] \[**-i** *icon name*\] \[**-n**\] \[**-p** *priority*\] \[**-r**\] \[**-s**\] \[**-t**\] \[**-u** *user*\] \[**--noignorebutton**\] \[**--attach** *winid*\]

**kdesu** \[KDE Generic Options\] \[Qt(TM) Generic Options\]

## DESCRIPTION

KDE su is a graphical front end for the UNIX® **su** command for the K Desktop Environment. It allows you to run a program as different user by supplying the password for that user. KDE su is an unprivileged program; it uses the system's **su**.

KDE su has one additional feature: it can optionally remember passwords for you. If you are using this feature, you only need to enter the password once for each command.

This program is meant to be started from the command line or from .desktop files.

Since **kdesu** is no longer installed in  **$(kf5-config --prefix)**/bin but in **kf5-config --path libexec** and therefore not in your **Path**, you have to use **$(kf5-config --path libexec)kdesu** to launch **kdesu**.

## OPTIONS

- **-c** *command*

  This specifies the command to run as root. It has to be passed in one argument. So if, for example, you want to start a new file manager, you would enter at the prompt: **$(kf5-config --path libexec)kdesu -c**  *Dolphin*

- **-d**

  Show debug information.

- **-f** *file*

  This option allow efficient use of KDE su in .desktop files. It tells KDE su to examine the file specified by *file*. If this file is writable by the current user, KDE su will execute the command as the current user. If it is not writable, the command is executed as user *user* (defaults to root).

  *file* is evaluated like this: if *file* starts with a /, it is taken as an absolute filename. Otherwise, it is taken as the name of a global KDE configuration file.

**-i** *icon name*

Specify icon to use in the password dialog. You may specify just the name, without any extension.

- **-n**

  Do not keep the password. This disables the keep password checkbox in the password dialog.

- **-p** *priority*

  Set priority value. The priority is an arbitrary number between 0 and 100, where 100 means highest priority, and 0 means lowest. The default is 50.

- **-r**

  Use realtime scheduling.

- **-s**

  Stop the kdesu daemon. This is the daemon that caches successful passwords in the background. This feature may also be disabled with **-n** when KDE su is initially run.

- **-t**

  Enable terminal output. This disables password keeping. This is largely for debugging purposes; if you want to run a console mode app, use the standard **su** instead.

- **-u** *user*

  While the most common use for KDE su is to run a command as the superuser, you can supply any user name and the appropriate password.

- **--noignorebutton**

  Do not display an ignore button.

- **--attach** *winid*

  Makes the dialog transient for an X app specified by winid.

## SEE ALSO

[su(1)](/su/1.md)

More detailed user documentation is available from **help:/kdesu** (either enter this URL into Konqueror, or run **khelpcenter** *help:/kdesu*).

## EXAMPLES

Run **kfmclient** as user jim, and show the Konqueror icon in the password dialog:

```
$(kf5-config --path libexec)kdesu -u jim -i konqueror kfmclient
```

## AUTHORS

KDE su was written by Geert Jansen \<g.t.jansen@stud.tue.nl\> and Pietro Iglio \<iglio@fub.it\>.

## AUTHOR

**Lauri Watts** \<lauri@kde.org\>

Author.