---
name: "xfce4-session"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xfce4-session"
version: "4.20.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xfce4-session"
---

# xfce4-session(1)

Starts up the Xfce Desktop Environment

## NAME

xfce4-session - Starts up the Xfce Desktop Environment

## SYNOPSIS

**xfce4-session**\

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the **xfce4-session** command.

The **xfce4-session** program starts up the Xfce Desktop Environment and is typically executed by your login manager (e.g. xdm, gdm, kdm, wdm or from your X startup scripts). It will load your last session or a default session that includes the standard Xfce programs if no saved session is available.

**xfce4-session** is an standard X11R6 session manager that can manage any X11R6 SM compliant program, including GNOME and KDE programs.

**xfce4-session** uses the contents of the ~/.cache/sessions/ directory for starting previously saved sessions.

## OPTIONS

**xfce4-session** takes the following command line options:

- **--disable-tcp**

  Disable binding to TCP ports in the ICE layer. This is not possible on every platform. If you use this option on a platform that does not support it, **xfce4-session** will print a warning message and ignore the setting.

- **--help**

  Print a help screen and exit.

- **--version**

  Output version information and exit.

## ENVIRONMENT

**xfce4-session**'s behaviour is affected by the following environment variables.

- **XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME**

  Specifies the root for all user-specific configuration files. If this environment variable is unset, it defaults to *~/.config/*

- **XDG\_CONFIG\_DIRS**

  Set of preference ordered base directories relative to which configuration files should be searched in addition to the **$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME** base directory. The directories should be separated with a colon.

- **XDG\_CACHE\_HOME**

  Specifies the root for all user-specific cache data. If this environment variable is unset, it defaults to *~/.cache/*

- **XFSM\_VERBOSE**

  When defined, this environment variable enables debugging messages to be saved to *~/.xfce4-session.verbose-log* The log file from the last session run with this environment variable set is retained at *~/.xfce4-session.verbose-log.last* These debugging messages are useful for troubleshooting and development.

## FILES

**xfce4-session** reads its configuration from Xfconf. **xfce4-session** stores its session data into *$XDG\_CACHE\_HOME/sessions/*.

## AUTHOR

**xfce4-session** was written by Benedikt Meurer \<benny@xfce.org\> as part of the Xfce project. This manual page was written by Oliver M. Bolzer \<oliver@debian.org\> and Benedikt Meurer \<benny@xfce.org\>.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-session/.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2003-2014 Benedikt Meurer.