---
name: "update-shells"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "debianutils"
version: "5.23.2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/update-shells"
---

# update-shells(8)

update the list of valid login shells

## NAME

update-shells - update the list of valid login shells

## SYNOPSIS

**update-shells** \[*options*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**update-shells** locates the shells provided by packages from */usr/share/debianutils/shells.d* and updates */etc/shells* with newly added or removed shells. To track changes made by the administrator, it consults a state file in */var/lib/shells.state .*

## OPTIONS

- **--no-act**

  Do not actually perform the changes to */etc/shells .*

- **--root**

  *ROOT*

  Operate on a chroot at *ROOT .* Defaults to the value of the environment variable *DPKG\_ROOT .*

- **--verbose**

  Print the shells that are being added or removed.

## FILES

*/etc/shells* */var/lib/shells.state* */usr/share/debianutils/shells.d*

## SEE ALSO

[**shells**(5)](/shells/5.md)