---
name: "sddm"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "sddm"
version: "0.21.0-7"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sddm"
---

# sddm(1)

the simple desktop display manager

## Name

sddm - the simple desktop display manager

## SYNOPSIS

sddm \[OPTIONS...\]

## DESCRIPTION

sddm is a display and login manager based on Qt technologies.

Using QtQuick and QML, designers are given the ability to easily create pleasant, modern looking interfaces for sddm.

sddm runs the greeter as a system user named **sddm** whose home directory needs to be set to **/var/lib/sddm**.

If pam and systemd are available, the greeter will go through logind, which will give it access to drm devices.

Distributions without pam and systemd will need to put the **sddm** user into the **video** group, otherwise errors regarding GL and drm devices might be experienced.

For X11 sessions, the cookie for X authorization is written into a temporary file */tmp/xauth\_XXXXXX*, owned and only accessible by the user.

## OPTIONS

- **--test-mode**

  Start daemon in test mode.

- **--example-config**

  Print the complete current configuration to stdout

- **--help, -h**

  Show help message and exit.

## FILES

- **/usr/lib/sddm/sddm.conf.d**

  System configuration directory

- **/etc/sddm.conf.d**

  Local configuration directory

- **/etc/sddm.conf**

  Local configuration file for compatibility

- **/usr/share/sddm/themes**

  Where sddm looks for themes

## SEE ALSO

[**sddm.conf**(5)](/sddm.conf/5.md)

The full documentation for sddm is available at \<https://github.com/sddm/sddm\>