---
name: "phosh"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "phosh"
version: "0.57.0-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/phosh"
---

# phosh(1)

Phosh - A phone shell

## Name

phosh - Phosh - A phone shell

## SYNOPSIS

```
phosh [OPTIONS...]
```

## DESCRIPTION

**phosh** is a Wayland shell for mobile devices using GNOME technologies.

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  Print help and exit

- **-U, --unlocked**

  Don't start with screen locked

- **-L, --locked**

  Start with screen locked, no matter what

- **--version**

  Show version information

## CONFIGURATION

**phosh** is configured via **GSettings**, see **phosh-config(5)**.

### Plugins

Plugins are configured via the **mobi.phosh.plugins** and **sm.puri.phosh.plugins** gsettings schema. The **lock-screen** key enables the plugins on the lock screen e.g.

```
gsettings set  sm.puri.phosh.plugins lock-screen "['ticket-box', 'upcoming-events']"
```

## DBUS INTERFACE

**phosh** allows to enable and disable certain debug flags at runtime via DBus. To see a list of available flags use:

```
busctl --user introspect mobi.phosh.Shell.DebugControl /mobi/phosh/Shell/DebugControl mobi.phosh.Shell.DebugControl
```

To toggle individual values:

```
busctl --user set-property mobi.phosh.Shell.DebugControl /mobi/phosh/Shell/DebugControl mobi.phosh.Shell.DebugControl LogDomains as 2 phosh-shell phosh-brightness-manager
```

Note that the flags are not considered stable API so can change between releases.

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

**phosh** honors the following environment variables for debugging purposes:

- •

  **PHOSH\_DEBUG**: A comma separated list of flags:

  - •

    **always-splash**: Always use splash screen when starting apps (even when in docked mode)

  - •

    **app-activation**: Use longer timeout before force-closing the app splash. Enable this flag to help debug activation issues.

  - •

    **backlight-non-linear**: Assume backlight brightness changes *non-linear*. Set if kernel should report the backlight as *non-linear* but doesn't.

  - •

    **fake-builtin**: Fake a builtin screen when using a virtual output like in a nested Wayland session.

  - •

    **thumbnail-overlay**: Use animated transition between overlay and running app. This will default to on in future releases.

- •

  **PHOSH\_FAKE\_CLOCK**: Allowed values are ISO8601 formatted strings or **now**. Setting this variable sets the shell's clocs to the given fixed value. For the clock format see **g\_date\_time\_new\_from\_iso8601()**.

- •

  **G\_MESSAGES\_DEBUG**, **G\_DEBUG** and other environment variables supported by glib. \<https://docs.gtk.org/glib/running.html\>

- •

  **GTK\_DEBUG** and other environment variables supported by GTK, see \<https://docs.gtk.org/gtk3/running.html\>

## See also

**[gsettings(1)](/gsettings/1.md)** **[phosh-session(1)](/phosh-session/1.md)** **[phosh.gsettings(5)](/phosh.gsettings/5.md)**