---
name: "xed"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xed"
version: "3.9.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xed"
---

# xed(1)

The Text Editor

## NAME

Xed - The Text Editor

## SYNOPSIS

**xed \[OPTIONS...\] \[FILES...\]**

## DESCRIPTION

Xed is the official text editor of the X-APPS project, which aims to provide applications to the Cinnamon, MATE and Xfce desktops. While aiming at simplicity and ease of use, Xed is a powerful general purpose text editor. It can be used to create and edit all sorts of text files.

Xed features a flexible plugin system which can be used to dynamically add new advanced features to Xed itself.

This manual page briefly documents the **xed** command.

## OPTIONS

- **filename(s)...**

  Specifies the file to open when **xed** starts. If this is not specified, **xed** will start a new, blank file with an "Unsaved Document" label. Multiple files can be loaded if they are separated by spaces. **xed** also supports handling of remote files.

- **--display=DISPLAY**

  X display to use.

- **--encoding**

  Set the character encoding to be used for opening the files listed on the command line.

- **--new-window**

  Create a new toplevel window in an existing instance of **xed**.

- **--new-document**

  Create a new document in an existing instance of **xed**, on the last Xed window that had focus.

- **+\[num\]**

  For the first file, go to the line specified by "num" (do not insert a space between the "+" sign and the number). If "num" is missing, go to the last line.

- **--list-encodings**

  Display list of possible values for the encoding option and exit

- **--version**

  Output version information and exit

- **-?, -h, --help**

  Print standard command line options.

- **-w, --wait**

  Open files and block the xed process.

- **--help-all**

  Print all command line options.

This program also accepts the standard GTK options.

## EXAMPLES

**xed --encoding WINDOWS-1252 ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/README**

Open the Linux Kernel README file from kernel.org's FTP server using Windows-1252 character encoding.

**xed +156 http://www.some-website.com/**

Open the main web page of some-website.com and jump to line 156.

**xed --new-window ~/.bashrc ~/.bash\_history**

Open the current users .bashrc and .bash\_history files in a new window.

## BUGS

### Should you encounter any bugs, they may be reported at:

http://github.com/linuxmint/xed/issues

## SEE ALSO

### Xed documentation can be found from the "Help" menu, or by pressing the F1 key.