---
name: "xrefresh"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xorg-xrefresh"
version: "1.1.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xrefresh"
---

# xrefresh(1)

refresh all or part of an X screen

## NAME

xrefresh - refresh all or part of an X screen

## SYNOPSIS

**xrefresh** \[-option ...\]

## DESCRIPTION

**Xrefresh** is a simple X program that causes all or part of your screen to be repainted. This is useful when system messages have messed up your screen. **Xrefresh** maps a window on top of the desired area of the screen and then immediately unmaps it, causing refresh events to be sent to all applications. By default, a window with no background is used, causing all applications to repaint “smoothly.” However, the various options can be used to indicate that a solid background (of any color) or the root window background should be used instead.

## ARGUMENTS

- **-white**

  Use a white background. The screen just appears to flash quickly, and then repaint.

- **-black**

  Use a black background. This can be somewhat disorienting as everything goes black for a moment.

- **-solid *color***

  Use a solid background of the specified color.  Try green.

- **-root**

  Use the root window background.

- **-none**

  This is the default.  All of the windows simply repaint.

- **-geometry *WxH+X+Y***

  Specifies the portion of the screen to be repainted; see [**X**(7)](/X/7.md).

- **-display *display***

  This argument allows you to specify the server and screen to refresh; see [**X**(7)](/X/7.md).

- **-delay *ms***

  Wait for *ms* milliseconds between mapping and unmapping the window. This can be useful for screens with slow response times, such as e-ink displays. The default is 0 ms.

- **-help**

  This argument prints the program options and exits.

- **-version**

  This argument prints the program version and exits.

## X DEFAULTS

The **xrefresh** program uses the routine **XGetDefault**(3) to read defaults, so its resource names are all capitalized.

- **Black, White, Solid, None, Root**

  Determines what sort of window background to use.

- **Geometry**

  Determines the area to refresh.  Not very useful.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **DISPLAY**

  To get default host and display number.

## SEE ALSO

[**X**(7)](/X/7.md)

## BUGS

It should have just one default type for the background.

## AUTHORS

Jim Gettys, Digital Equipment Corp., MIT Project Athena