---
name: "xdg-open"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xdg-utils"
version: "1.2.1-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xdg-open"
---

# xdg-open(1)

opens a file or URL in the user's preferred application

## NAME

xdg-open - opens a file or URL in the user's preferred application

## SYNOPSIS

**xdg-open** {*file* \| *URL*}

**xdg-open** {**--help** \| **--manual** \| **--version**}

## DESCRIPTION

xdg-open opens a file or URL in the user's preferred application. If a URL is provided the URL will be opened in the user's preferred web browser. If a file is provided the file will be opened in the preferred application for files of that type. xdg-open supports file, ftp, http and https URLs.

xdg-open is for use inside a desktop session only. It is not recommended to use xdg-open as root.

As xdg-open can not handle arguments that begin with a “-” it is recommended to pass filepaths in one of the following ways:

• Pass absolute paths, i.e. by using **realpath** as a preprocessor.

• Prefix known relative filepaths with a “./”. For example using sed -E 's\|^\[^/\]\|./\\0\|'.

• Pass a file URL.

## OPTIONS

- **--help**

  Show command synopsis.

- **--manual**

  Show this manual page.

- **--version**

  Show the xdg-utils version information.

## EXIT CODES

An exit code of 0 indicates success while a non-zero exit code indicates failure. The following failure codes can be returned:

**1**

Error in command line syntax.

**2**

One of the files passed on the command line did not exist.

**3**

A required tool could not be found.

**4**

The action failed.

In case of success the process launched from the .desktop file will not be forked off and therefore may result in xdg-open running for a very long time. This behaviour intentionally differs from most desktop specific openers to allow terminal based applications to run using the same terminal xdg-open was called from.

## REPORTING ISSUES

Please keep in mind **xdg-open** inherits most of the flaws of its configuration and the underlying opener.

In case the command xdg-mime query default "$(xdg-mime query filetype path/to/troublesome\_file)" names the program responsible for any unexpected behaviour you can fix that by setting a different handler. (If the program is broken let the developers know)

Also see the security note on [**xdg-mime**(1)](/xdg-mime/1.md) for the default subcommand.

If a flaw is reproducible using the desktop specific opener (and isn't a configuration issue): Please report to whoever is responsible for that first (reporting to xdg-utils is better than not reporting at all, but since the xdg-utils are maintained in very little spare time a fix will take much longer)

In case an issue specific to xdg-open please report it to https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xdg/xdg-utils/-/issues .

## SEE ALSO

[**xdg-mime**(1)](/xdg-mime/1.md), [**xdg-settings**(1)](/xdg-settings/1.md), **MIME applications associations specification**\[1\]

## EXAMPLES

```
xdg-open 'http://www.freedesktop.org/'
```

Opens the freedesktop.org website in the user's default browser.

```
xdg-open /tmp/foobar.png
```

Opens the PNG image file /tmp/foobar.png in the user's default image viewing application.

## AUTHORS

**Kevin Krammer**

Author.

**Jeremy White**

Author.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2006\

## NOTES

- 1\.

  MIME applications associations specification

  http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Specifications/mime-apps-spec/