---
name: "xetex"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "texlive-doc"
version: "2026.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xetex"
---

# xetex(1)

extended TeX with native support for Unicode, OpenType, system fonts

## NAME

xetex - extended TeX with native support for Unicode, OpenType, system fonts

## SYNOPSIS

**xetex** \[*options*\] \[***&**format*\] \[*file*\|***\\**commands*\]

## DESCRIPTION

XeTeX (**xetex**) is a TeX engine with native support for Unicode, OpenType, and system-installed fonts, using third-party libraries such as ICU, HarfBuzz, and FreeType. It outputs an extended dvi format (xdv), which by default is translated to pdf by [**xdvipdfmx**(1)](/xdvipdfmx/1.md).

XeTeX includes the e-TeX extensions and many extensions from pdfTeX, sometimes using different primitive names.

## OPTIONS

For the common TeX command-line options and handling, see  [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md). The following XeTeX-specific options are also supported:

- **-no-pdf**

  Generate XeTeX's extended DVI (.xdv) output instead of pdf.

- **-output-driver** *cmd*

  Run *cmd* instead of xdvipdfmx to translate xdv to pdf.

- **-papersize** *string*

  Set pdf media size to *string*.

Options removed: **-draftmode**, **-enc**, **-ipc**, **-ipc-start**, **-translate-file**.

## ENVIRONMENT

See [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md) and [**pdftex**(1)](/pdftex/1.md).

## FILES

See [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md). Also:

- *$TEXMFMAIN/tex/generic/tex-ini-files/xetex.ini*

  The driver file that builds the plain format file for XeTeX, *xetex.fmt*, in TeX Live.

## BUGS

See [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md).

## SEE ALSO

[**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md), [**dvipdfmx**(1)](/dvipdfmx/1.md), [**etex**(1)](/etex/1.md), [**latex**(1)](/latex/1.md), [**luatex**(1)](/luatex/1.md), [**pdftex**(1)](/pdftex/1.md).

*TUGboat* articles by Jonathan Kew: https://tug.org/TUGboat/listauthor.html#Kew,Jonathan\
 Home page: https://tug.org/xetex\
 XeTeX package page on CTAN: https://ctan.org/pkg/xetex\
 XeTeX reference manual: https://ctan.org/pkg/xetexref\
 Web2c manual: https://tug.org/web2c\
 Kpathsea manual: https://tug.org/kpathsea\
 Sources for the TeX-world literate programs, as pdf, including XeTeX: https://ctan.org/pkg/knuth-pdf

## AUTHORS

XeTeX was created and is maintained by Jonathan Kew and others. It is released as part of TeX Live. This manual page was written by Karl Berry. It is released to the public domain.

Bug reports: https://sourceforge.net/p/xetex/bugs/\
 Public discussion list for pdfTeX-specific issues: https://lists.tug.org/pdftex\
 Public discussion list for TeX Live: https://lists.tug.org/tex-live\
 Public discussion list for all things TeX: https://lists.tug.org/texhax