---
name: "swaymsg"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "sway"
version: "1:1.12-4"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/swaymsg"
---

# swaymsg(1)

Send messages to a running instance of sway over the IPC socket.

## NAME

swaymsg - Send messages to a running instance of sway over the IPC socket.

## SYNOPSIS

*swaymsg* \[options...\] \[message\]

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  Show help message and quit.

- **-m, --monitor**

  Monitor for responses until killed instead of exiting after the first response. This can only be used with the IPC message type *subscribe*. If there is a malformed response or an invalid event type was requested, swaymsg will stop monitoring and exit.

- **-p, --pretty**

  Use pretty output even when not using a tty. Not available for all message types.

- **-q, --quiet**

  Sends the IPC message but does not print the response from sway.

- **-r, --raw**

  Use raw JSON output even if using a tty.

- **-s, --socket** \<path\>

  Use the specified socket path. Otherwise, swaymsg will ask sway where the socket is (which is the value of $SWAYSOCK, then of $I3SOCK).

- **-t, --type** \<type\>

  Specify the type of IPC message. See below.

- **-v, --version**

  Print the version (of swaymsg) and quit.

## IPC MESSAGE TYPES

**\<command\>**

The message is a sway command (the same commands you can bind to keybindings in your sway config file). It will be executed immediately.

See [**sway**(5)](/sway/5.md) for a list of commands.

*swaymsg* can return pretty printed (standalone-default) or JSON-formatted (**--raw**) output. For detailed documentation on the returned JSON-data of each message type listed below,	refer to [**sway-ipc**(7)](/sway-ipc/7.md). The JSON-format can contain more information than the pretty print.

Tips:

- •

  Command expansion is performed twice: once by swaymsg, and again by sway. If you have quoted multi-word strings in your command, enclose the entire command in single-quotes. For example, use *swaymsg 'output "Foobar Display" enable'* instead of *swaymsg output "Foobar Display" enable*. Furthermore, note that comma separated options also count as multi-word strings, because commas can be used to execute commands on the same line.

- •

  If you are providing a command that contains a leading hyphen (*-*), insert two hyphens (*--*) before the command to signal to swaymsg not to parse anything beyond that point as an option. For example, use *swaymsg -- mark --add test* instead of *swaymsg mark --add test*.

**get\_workspaces**

Gets a list of workspaces and their status.

**get\_inputs**

Gets a list of current inputs.

**get\_outputs**

Gets a list of current outputs.

**get\_tree**

Gets a JSON-encoded layout tree of all open windows, containers, outputs, workspaces, and so on.

**get\_seats**

Gets a list of all seats, its properties and all assigned devices.

**get\_marks**

Get a JSON-encoded list of marks.

**get\_bar\_config**

Get a JSON-encoded configuration for swaybar.

**get\_version**

Get version information for the running instance of sway.

**get\_binding\_modes**

Gets a JSON-encoded list of currently configured binding modes.

**get\_binding\_state**

Gets JSON-encoded info about the current binding state.

**get\_config**

Gets a copy of the current configuration. Doesn't expand includes.

**send\_tick**

Sends a tick event to all subscribed clients.

**subscribe**

Subscribe to a list of event types. The argument for this type should be provided in the form of a valid JSON array. If any of the types are invalid or if a valid JSON array is not provided, this will result in a failure. For a list of valid event types and the data returned with them refer to [**sway-ipc**(7)](/sway-ipc/7.md).

## RETURN CODES

**0**

Success

**1**

swaymsg errors such as invalid syntax, unable to connect to the ipc socket or unable to parse sway's reply

**2**

Sway returned an error when processing the command (ex. invalid command, command failed, and invalid subscription request)

## SEE ALSO

[**sway**(5)](/sway/5.md) [**sway-bar**(5)](/sway-bar/5.md) [**sway-input**(5)](/sway-input/5.md) [**sway-output**(5)](/sway-output/5.md) [**sway-ipc**(7)](/sway-ipc/7.md)