---
name: "libguestfs-tools.conf"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "libguestfs"
version: "1.60.1-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/libguestfs-tools.conf"
---

# libguestfs-tools.conf(5)

configuration file for guestfish, guestmount, virt-rescue

## NAME

libguestfs-tools.conf - configuration file for guestfish, guestmount, virt-rescue

## SYNOPSIS

```
 /etc/libguestfs-tools.conf
 $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/libguestfs/libguestfs-tools.conf
 $HOME/.libguestfs-tools.rc
 $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/libguestfs/libguestfs-tools.conf
```

## DESCRIPTION

*libguestfs-tools.conf* (or *$HOME/.libguestfs-tools.rc*) changes the defaults for the following programs only:

- •

  [**guestfish**(1)](/guestfish/1.md)

- •

  [**guestmount**(1)](/guestmount/1.md)

- •

  [**virt-rescue**(1)](/virt-rescue/1.md)

There is currently only one setting which is controlled by this file.  Adding (or uncommenting):

```
 read_only = true;
```

changes these programs so they act as if the *--ro* flag was given on the command line.  You can use this to make the programs safe against accidental modification of a live guest (users would have to explicitly add the *--rw* flag to modify guests).  This is not the default because it is not backwards compatible. See also "OPENING DISKS FOR READ AND WRITE" in [**guestfish**(1)](/guestfish/1.md).

Note that **the semicolon is required**.

This file is parsed by the libconfig library.  For more information about the format, see: http://www.hyperrealm.com/libconfig/libconfig\_manual.html

## FILE LOCATION

The order of the configuration files being read is, by importance:

- •

  `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME`/libguestfs/libguestfs-tools.conf (`$XDG_CONFIG_HOME` is *$HOME/.config* if not set).

- •

  `$HOME`/.libguestfs-tools.rc

- •

  `$XDG_CONFIG_DIRS`/libguestfs/libguestfs-tools.conf (where `$XDG_CONFIG_DIRS` means any of the directories in that environment variable, or just */etc/xdg* if not set)

- •

  /etc/libguestfs-tools.conf

This means local users can override the system configuration by copying the configuration file (or creating it anew) into *$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/libguestfs/libguestfs-tools.conf*.

*/etc/libguestfs-tools.conf* and *$HOME/.libguestfs-tools.rc* are the old non-XDG paths which are read for compatibility.

## SEE ALSO

"OPENING DISKS FOR READ AND WRITE" in [**guestfish**(1)](/guestfish/1.md), [**guestmount**(1)](/guestmount/1.md), [**virt-rescue**(1)](/virt-rescue/1.md), http://libguestfs.org/, http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/latest/.

## AUTHORS

Richard W.M. Jones (`"rjones at redhat dot com"`)

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2011-2025 Red Hat Inc.

## LICENSE

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.

## BUGS

To get a list of bugs against libguestfs, use this link: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/buglist.cgi?component=libguestfs&product=Virtualization+Tools

To report a new bug against libguestfs, use this link: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/enter\_bug.cgi?component=libguestfs&product=Virtualization+Tools

When reporting a bug, please supply:

- •

  The version of libguestfs.

- •

  Where you got libguestfs (eg. which Linux distro, compiled from source, etc)

- •

  Describe the bug accurately and give a way to reproduce it.

- •

  Run [**libguestfs-test-tool**(1)](/libguestfs-test-tool/1.md) and paste the **complete, unedited** output into the bug report.