---
name: "swaync"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "swaync"
version: "0.12.6-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/swaync"
---

# swaync(1)

A simple notification daemon with a GTK gui for notifications and the control center

## NAME

swaync - A simple notification daemon with a GTK gui for notifications and the control center

## USAGE

**swaync** \[option\]

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  Show help options

- **-v, --version**

  Prints version

**-s, --style** \<CSS file\>

Use a custom Stylesheet file

- **--replace**

  Replace the currently running instance of SwayNotificationCenter

- **--skip-system-css**

  Skip trying to parse the packaged Stylesheet file. Useful for CSS debugging

- **--custom-system-css**

  Pick a custom CSS file to use as the "system" CSS. Useful for CSS debugging

**-c, --config** \<Config file\>

Use a custom config file

## Control Center Keyboard Shortcuts

**Up/Down**: Navigate notifications

**Home**: Navigate to the latest notification

**End**: Navigate to the oldest notification

**Escape/Caps\_Lock**: Close notification panel

**Return**: Execute default action or close notification if none

**Delete/BackSpace**: Close notification

**Shift+C**: Close all notifications

**Shift+D**: Toggle Do Not Disturb

**Buttons 1-9**: Execute alternative actions

**Left click button / actions**: Activate notification action

**Middle/Right click notification**: Close notification

## CONFIGURATION

The main config file is located in **/etc/xdg/swaync/config.json**. Copy it over to your **~/.config/swaync/** folder to customize without needing root access.

To reload the config, you'll need to run **swaync-client --reload-config**

For information on the config file format, see [**swaync**(5)](/swaync/5.md)

## Scripting

Scripting rules and logic:

- 1\.

  **Only one** script can be fired per notification

- 2\.

  Each script requires \`exec\` and at least one of the other properties

- 3\.

  All listed properties must match the notification for the script to be ran

- 4\.

  If any of the properties doesn't match, the script will be skipped

- 5\.

  If a notification doesn't include one of the properties, that property will be skipped

Notification information can be printed into a terminal by running **G\_MESSAGES\_DEBUG=all swaync** (when a notification appears).

Config properties:

```
{
	"scripts": {
		"example-script": {
			"exec": "Your shell command or script here...",
			"app-name": "Notification app-name Regex",
			"summary": "Notification summary Regex",
			"body": "Notification body Regex",
			"urgency": "Low or Normal or Critical",
			"category": "Notification category Regex"
		}
	}
	other non scripting properties...
}
```

**config.json** example:

```
{
	"scripts": {
		// This script will only run when Spotify sends a notification containing
		// that exact summary and body
		"example-script": {
			"exec": "~/.config/swaync/myRickRollScript.sh",
			"app-name": "Spotify"
			"summary": "Never Gonna Give You Up",
			"body": "Rick Astley - Whenever You Need Somebody"
		}
	}
	other non scripting properties...
}
```

### Disable scripting

To completely disable scripting, the project needs to be built like so:

```
meson build -Dscripting=false
ninja -C build
meson install -C build
```

## Waybar Example

This example requires **NotoSansMono Nerd Font** to get the icons looking right

Waybar config

```
"custom/notification": {
	"tooltip": false,
	"format": "{icon}",
	"format-icons": {
		"notification": "<span foreground='red'><sup></sup></span>",
		"none": "",
		"dnd-notification": "<span foreground='red'><sup></sup></span>",
		"dnd-none": "",
		"inhibited-notification": "<span foreground='red'><sup></sup></span>",
		"inhibited-none": "",
		"dnd-inhibited-notification": "<span foreground='red'><sup></sup></span>",
		"dnd-inhibited-none": ""
	},
	"return-type": "json",
	"exec-if": "which swaync-client",
	"exec": "swaync-client -swb",
	"on-click": "swaync-client -t -sw",
	"on-click-right": "swaync-client -d -sw",
	"escape": true
},
```

Waybar css file

```
#custom-notification {
	font-family: "NotoSansMono Nerd Font";
}
```