---
name: "marco"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "marco"
version: "1.29.0-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/marco"
---

# marco(1)

The MATE Window Manager

## NAME

Marco - The MATE Window Manager

## SYNOPSIS

**marco \[OPTIONS\]**

## DESCRIPTION

Marco is a minimal X window manager that uses GTK+ for drawing window frames. It is aimed at non-technical users and is designed to integrate well with the MATE desktop. Marco is a plain window manager for the adult in you; Many window managers are like Marshmallow Froot Loops, Marco is like Cheerios. It lacks some features that may be expected by traditional UNIX or other technical users; these users may want to investigate other available window managers for use with MATE or as a standalone window manager.

Marco supports several somewhat advanced but common features such as Window Shading/Roll-Up, Window/Edge Snapping, Vertical and Horizontal Maximize, Always-On-Top, Sloppy/Mouse Focus and Raising, and many more... Well, not a lot, but some more.

This manual page documents the **marco** command.

## OPTIONS

- **-d, --display=DISPLAY**

  X display to use.

- **--sync**

  Make X calls synchronous.

- **--replace**

  Replace the currently running window manager with Marco.

- **--sm-disable**

  Disable the connection to the session manager.

- **--sm-client-id=ID**

  Specify a session management ID.

- **--sm-save-file=FILENAME**

  Restore from a session management savefile. \
   If no path is specified **marco** will look in ~/.config/mate-session/saved-session/

- **-c, --composite**

  Turn compositing ON. You may also use this option to start **marco** with composite "true transparency" effects.

- **--no-composite**

  Turn compositing OFF. You may also use this option to start **marco** without compositing effects.

- **--no-force-fullscreen**

  Do not create fullscreen windows without decorations.

- **--no-keybindings**

  Have all keybindings disabled on startup.

- **--version**

  Print current version information and exit.

- **-?, -h, --help**

  Print standard command line options.

## CONFIGURATION

Marco configuration can be found via the main MATE menus, under "*System*-\>*Preferences*-\>*Windows*" and "*System*-\>*Preferences*-\>*Keyboard Shortcuts*" or by running the commands **mate-window-properties** and **mate-keybinding-properties** respectively. Advanced configuration can also be achieved directly, via **dconf-editor** under "/*org*/*mate*/*marco*/".

## BUGS

### Should you encounter any bugs, they may be reported at:

http://github.com/mate-desktop/marco/issues

## AUTHORS

### This Man Page has been updated/re-written for the MATE Desktop Environment by:

Adam Erdman \<hekel@archlinux.info\> (2014)

## HISTORY

### Portions of this manual page were originally written by Luke Morton and Philip O'Brien (2006) for Metacity, but do not bear resemblance to preceding documentation.

## SEE ALSO

### Further information may also be available at: http://wiki.mate-desktop.org/docs

[**marco-message**(1)](/marco-message/1.md), [**marco-theme-viewer**(1)](/marco-theme-viewer/1.md), [**marco-window-demo**(1)](/marco-window-demo/1.md)