---
name: "openbox"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "openbox"
version: "3.6.1-14"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/openbox"
---

# openbox(1)

A minimalistic, highly configurable, next generation window manager with extensive standards support.

## NAME

openbox — A minimalistic, highly configurable, next generation window  manager with extensive standards support.

## SYNOPSIS

**openbox** \[**--help**\]  \[**--version**\]  \[**--replace**\]  \[**--reconfigure**\]  \[**--restart**\]  \[**--sm-disable**\]  \[**--sync**\]  \[**--debug**\]  \[**--debug-focus**\]  \[**--debug-xinerama**\]

## DESCRIPTION

Openbox is minimalistic, highly configurable, next generation window  manager with extensive standards support.

You can start Openbox in three ways:

If you run a display manager such as GDM, you will find 3 entries  in the login session type menu for Openbox:  **GNOME/Openbox**, **KDE/Openbox**       and **Openbox**. If you want to use Openbox  within GNOME or KDE, you can choose the appropriate entry, and it will  launch GNOME or KDE with Openbox as the window manager.

The third option at log in, which is **Openbox**       without a session manager, uses the **openbox-session**       command to start Openbox. On log in, **openbox** will  run the ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh script if it exists, and will run  the system-wide script /etc/xdg/openbox/autostart.sh otherwise. You  may place anything you want to run automatically in those files, for  example:

```
xsetroot -solid grey &
gnome-settings-daemon &
```

Make sure that each line is followed by a "&" or else the script will  stop there and further commands will not be executed. You can use the  /etc/xdg/openbox/autostart.sh file as an example for creating your  own.

The default /etc/xdg/openbox/autostart.sh runs a number of things  with Openbox.

Lastly, if you use **startx** to launch your X  session, you can set up a ~/.xinitrc file to run  **openbox-session** and follow the same directions as  above regarding the autostart.sh file.

You can use the **obconf** tool to configure Openbox  easily with a graphical interface, however more in-depth configuration  is possible by editing the configuration files by hand.

The default configuration and menu files are installed in  /etc/xdg/openbox/, and the user configuration is placed in  ~/.config/openbox/. You can copy the default configuration and menus  to ~/.config/openbox and edit it to your liking.

## OPTIONS

These are the possible options that **openbox** accepts:

- **--help**

  Show a summary of the command line options available  and exit.

- **--version**

  Show the version of the program and exit.

- **--replace**

  Replace the currently running window manager.

- **--config-file FILE**

  Specify the path to the config file to use.

- **--reconfigure**

  If Openbox is already running on the display, tell it to  reload its configuration.

- **--restart**

  If Openbox is already running on the display, tell it to  restart. This is useful if you have upgraded Openbox and don't  want to restart X.

- **--exit**

  Exit Openbox.

- **--sm-disable**

  Do not connect to the session manager.

- **--sync**

  Run in synchronous mode (for debugging).

- **--startup CMD**

  Run CMD after starting.

- **--debug**

  Display debugging output.

- **--debug-focus**

  Display debugging output for focus handling.

- **--debug-session**

  Display debugging output for session management.

- **--debug-xinerama**

  Split the display into two fake xinerama regions, if  xinerama is not already enabled. This is for debugging  xinerama support.

## SEE ALSO

obconf (1), [openbox-session(1)](/openbox-session/1.md), [openbox-gnome-session(1)](/openbox-gnome-session/1.md),  [openbox-kde-session(1)](/openbox-kde-session/1.md).

The program's full documentation is available on the website:  **http://openbox.org/**

Please report bugs to: **http://bugzilla.icculus.org/**