---
name: "slimlock"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "slim"
version: "1:1.4.1-3"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/slimlock"
---

# slimlock(1)

Unholy Screen Locker

## NAME

**slimlock** - Unholy Screen Locker

## SYNOPSIS

```
slimlock [-v]
```

## DESCRIPTION

**The Frankenstein's monster of screen lockers. Grafting SLiM and slock together** **leads to blood, tears, and locked screens.**

## OPTIONS

- **-v**

  **display version information**

## CONFIGURATION

**Slimlock reads the same configuration files you use for SLiM. It looks in**  *CFGDIR/slim.conf* **and** *CFGDIR/slimlock.conf***, where** *CFGDIR*  **is defined when built - usually** */etc***.** **The options that are read from slim.conf are**  **hidecursor, current\_theme, background\_color and background\_style,**  **screenshot\_cmd, and welcome\_msg. See the SLiM docs for more information.**

**slimlock.conf contains the following settings:**

- **dpms\_standby\_timeout**

  **number of seconds of inactivity before the screen blanks.** **Default:** *60*

- **dpms\_off\_timeout**

  **number of seconds of inactivity before the screen is turned off.** **Default:** *600*

- **wrong\_passwd\_timeout**

  **delay in seconds after an incorrect password is entered.** **Default:** *2*

- **passwd\_feedback\_msg**

  **message to display after a failed authentication attempt.** **Default:** *Authentication failed*

- **passwd\_feedback\_capslock**

  **message to display after a failed authentication attempt if the CapsLock is on.** **Default:** *Authentication failed (CapsLock is on)*

- **show\_username**

  **1 to show username on themes with single input field; 0 to disable.** **Default:** *1*

- **show\_welcome\_msg**

  **1 to show SLiM's welcome message; 0 to disable.** **Default:** *0*

- **tty\_lock**

  **1 to disallow virtual terminals switching; 0 to allow.** **Default:** *1*

- **bell**

  **1 to enable the bell on authentication failure; 0 to disable.** **Default:** *1*

## BUGS

**Where the theme defines a welcome message or password prompt, slimlock** **displays them in the wrong place.**

**Using the same theme as slim assumes the theme is appropriate. Most of** **the themes out there (including our defaults) put the word "Login" on the** **panel, which isn't quite right for a screen lock.**

**To alleviate both of these, you can specify a different theme in**  *CFGDIR/slimlock.conf***, which will override the setting in**  *CFGDIR/slim.conf***, but you still need to find (or create) a suitable** **lock theme.**

## SEE ALSO

[**slim**(1)](/slim/1.md)