---
name: "shotwell"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "shotwell"
version: "2:33.0-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/shotwell"
---

# shotwell(1)

Digital photo manager

## NAME

shotwell - Digital photo manager

## SYNOPSIS

**shotwell** \[*OPTION*\]... \[*FILE*\]

## DESCRIPTION

Shotwell is a digital photo organizer designed for the GNOME desktop environment.  It allows you to  import photos from disk or camera, organize them in various ways, view them in full-window or fullscreen mode, and export them to share with others.

## OPTIONS

**-h, --help** Show help options

- **-d, --datadir=FOLDER**

  Path to Shotwell's private data. Using -d stand-alone without --profile --create is considered deprecated and should not be used anymore.

- **--no-runtime-monitoring**

  Do not monitor library folder at runtime for changes

- **-f, --fullscreen**

  Open the viewer mode in fullscreen. Has no effect in library mode.

- **--no-startup-progress**

  Don't display startup progress meter

- **-V, --version**

  Show the application's version

- **--display=DISPLAY**

  X display to use

- **-p, --show-metadata**

  Dump all Exif, IPTC and XMP metadata of FILE

- **-i, --profile=PROFILE**

  Start shotwell with a different profile. A profile consists of a set of settings and a new private data dir. The data dir can be overriden by secifying --datadir as well.

- **-l, --list-profiles**

  Show the available profiles

- **-b, --profile-browser**

  Show the available profiles in a dialog, with managing capabilities and the ability to start Shotwell with a specific profile by double-clicking.

## EXAMPLES

**shotwell**

Opens Shotwell with the user's library.

**shotwell** *FILE*

Opens an image file for direct editing.  File is not imported into library and unsaved changes are lost on close.

**shotwell --profile="Development environment"**

Opens shotwell using the profile named "Development environment".

## NOTES

Shotwell homepage: https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Shotwell

Report bugs: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/shotwell/issues

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Jim Nelson jim@yorba.org and Allison Barlow allison@yorba.org.