---
name: "update-mime-database"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "shared-mime-info"
version: "2.5.1-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/update-mime-database"
---

# update-mime-database(1)

a program to build the Shared MIME-Info database cache

## NAME

update-mime-database - a program to build the Shared MIME-Info database cache

## SYNOPSIS

**update-mime-database -h** \| **-v** \| \[ **-V** \| **-n** \] *MIME-DIR*

## DESCRIPTION

**update-mime-database** is a program which is responsible for updating the shared mime-info cache according to the system described in the Shared MIME-Info Database specification ⟨http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Specifications/shared-mime-info-spec⟩ from the X Desktop Group.

## OPTIONS

- **-h**

  Print out a command summary.

- **-v**

  Print out the version information.

- **-V**

  Be verbose.

- **-n**

  Only update if **MIME-DIR**/packages/ or a file in that directory is newer than **MIME-DIR**/version. This is useful for package pre- and post-installation scripts.

## ARGUMENTS

- **MIME-DIR**

  This is the directory for which **update-mime-database** should rebuild the cache. Mandatory if none of the options is provided.

## AUTHOR

Filip Van Raemdonck (mechanix@debian.org) wrote this manpage for the Debian GNU/Linux project, but it may be used by others.

## LICENCE

Copyright (C) 2002 Thomas Leonard.\
 You may redistribute copies of **update-mime-database** under the terms of the GNU General Public License.