---
name: "xsettingsd"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xsettingsd"
version: "1.0.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xsettingsd"
---

# xsettingsd(1)

provides settings to X11 applications

## NAME

xsettingsd - provides settings to X11 applications

## SYNOPSIS

**xsettingsd** \[*options*\]

## DESCRIPTION

xsettingsd is a daemon that implements the XSETTINGS specification.  The typical invocation is from a user's **~/.xsession** file.

It is intended to be small, fast, and minimally dependent on other libraries. It can serve as an alternative to gnome-settings-daemon for users who are not using the GNOME desktop environment but who still run GTK+ applications and want to configure things such as themes, font antialiasing/hinting, and UI sound effects.

Additional documentation is available at the project's website: *https://codeberg.org/derat/xsettingsd*

## OPTIONS

- **-c**, **--config**=*FILE*

  Load settings from *FILE* (default is **~/.xsettingsd**).

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

  Display a help message and exit.

- **-s**, **--screen**=*SCREEN*

  Use the X screen numbered *SCREEN* (default of -1 means all screens).

## CONFIGURATION

If a path is not specified by **-c** or **--config**, xsettingsd checks the following locations for a readable configuration file:

- **~/.xsettingsd**

  - **~/.config/xsettingsd/xsettingsd.conf** (base directory overridable via **$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME**)

  - **/etc/xsettingsd/xsettingsd.conf** (base directories overridable via **$XDG\_CONFIG\_DIRS**)

  Running [*dump\_xsettings*(1)](/dump_xsettings/1.md) while another XSETTINGS daemon such as **gnome-settings-daemon** is already running will print your current settings in **xsettingsd**'s configuration file format.

Here is a short example configuration file:

```
Net/ThemeName "Human"
Xft/Antialias 1
Xft/DPI 100352
Xft/HintStyle "hintfull"
Xft/Hinting 1
Xft/RGBA "none"
Xft/lcdfilter "none"
```

## BUGS

*https://codeberg.org/derat/xsettingsd/issues*

## SEE ALSO

[*dump\_xsettings*(1)](/dump_xsettings/1.md)

## AUTHOR

xsettingsd was written by Daniel Erat \<dan@erat.org\>.