OS Manuals

/usr/bin/bootctl

systemd bootloader

From systemd-boot 262.2-r1 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running bootctl --help (exit 0). permalink

> bootctl [OPTION…] COMMAND …

Control EFI firmware boot settings and manage boot loader.

Generic EFI Firmware/Boot Loader Commands:
  [status]                                          Show status of installed boot loader and EFI
                                                    variables
  reboot-to-firmware [BOOL]                         Query or set reboot-to-firmware EFI flag

Boot Loader Specification Commands:
  list                                              List boot loader entries
  unlink ID                                         Remove boot loader entry
  link KERNEL                                       Create boot loader entry for specified kernel
  link-auto                                         Create boot loader entry for the kernel and
                                                    extra resources staged in /var/lib/systemd/uki/
  cleanup                                           Remove files in ESP not referenced in any boot
                                                    entry

Boot Loader Interface Commands:
  set-default ID                                    Set default boot loader entry
  set-oneshot ID                                    Set default boot loader entry, for next boot
                                                    only
  set-sysfail ID                                    Set boot loader entry used in case of a system
                                                    failure
  set-timeout SECONDS                               Set the menu timeout
  set-timeout-oneshot SECONDS                       Set the menu timeout for the next boot only

systemd-boot Commands:
  install                                           Install systemd-boot to the ESP and EFI
                                                    variables
  update                                            Update systemd-boot in the ESP and EFI variables
  remove                                            Remove systemd-boot from the ESP and EFI
                                                    variables
  is-installed                                      Test whether systemd-boot is installed in the
                                                    ESP
  random-seed                                       Initialize or refresh random seed in ESP and EFI
                                                    variables

Kernel Image Commands:
  kernel-identify KERNEL-IMAGE                      Identify kernel image type
  kernel-inspect KERNEL-IMAGE                       Prints details about the kernel image

Block Device Discovery Commands:
  -p --print-esp-path                               Print path to the EFI System Partition mount
                                                    point
  -x --print-boot-path                              Print path to the $BOOT partition mount point
     --print-loader-path                            Print path to currently booted boot loader
                                                    binary
     --print-stub-path                              Print path to currently booted unified kernel
                                                    binary
  -R --print-root-device                            Print path to the block device node backing the
                                                    root file system (returns e.g. /dev/nvme0n1p5)
  -RR                                               Print path to the whole disk block device node
                                                    backing the root FS (returns e.g. /dev/nvme0n1)
     --print-efi-architecture                       Print the local EFI architecture string

Options:
  -h --help                                         Show this help
     --version                                      Show package version
     --esp-path=PATH                                Path to the EFI System Partition (ESP)
     --boot-path=PATH                               Path to the $BOOT partition
     --root=PATH                                    Operate on an alternate filesystem root
     --image=PATH                                   Operate on disk image as filesystem root
     --image-policy=POLICY                          Specify disk image dissection policy
     --install-source=SOURCE                        Where to pick files when using --root=/--image=
                                                    (auto, image, host)
     --variables=BOOL                               Whether to modify EFI variables
     --random-seed=BOOL                             Whether to create random-seed file during
                                                    install
     --no-pager                                     Do not start a pager
     --graceful                                     Don't fail when the ESP cannot be found or EFI
                                                    variables cannot be written
  -q --quiet                                        Suppress output
     --entry-token=TOKEN                            Entry token to use for this installation
                                                    (machine-id, os-id, os-image-id, auto,
                                                    literal:…)
     --make-entry-directory=BOOL|auto               Create $BOOT/ENTRY-TOKEN/ directory
     --json=FORMAT                                  Generate JSON output (pretty, short, or off)
     --all-architectures                            Install all supported EFI architectures
     --efi-boot-option-description=DESCRIPTION      Description of the entry in the boot option list
     --efi-boot-option-description-with-device=BOOL Suffix description with disk vendor/model/serial
  -n --dry-run                                      Dry run (unlink and cleanup)
     --secure-boot-auto-enroll=BOOL                 Set up secure boot auto-enrollment
     --private-key=PATH|URI                         Private key for Secure Boot auto-enrollment
     --private-key-source=SOURCE                    Specify how to use the private key (file,
                                                    provider:PROVIDER, engine:ENGINE)
     --certificate=PATH|URI                         PEM certificate to use when setting up Secure
                                                    Boot auto-enrollment, or a provider-specific
                                                    designation if --certificate-source= is used
     --certificate-source=SOURCE                    Specify how to interpret the certificate from
                                                    --certificate=. Allows the certificate to be
                                                    loaded from an OpenSSL provider (file,
                                                    provider:PROVIDER)
     --oldest=BOOL                                  Delete oldest boot menu entry
     --keep-free=BYTES                              How much space to keep free on ESP/XBOOTLDR
     --entry-title=TITLE                            Selects the entry title for the new boot menu
                                                    entry
     --entry-version=VERSION                        Selects the entry version for the new boot menu
                                                    entry
     --entry-commit=NR                              Selects the entry commit version for the new
                                                    boot menu entry
  -X --extra=PATH                                   Pass extra resource (confext, sysext,
                                                    credential) to the invoked UKI of the boot menu
                                                    entry
     --tries-left=NR                                Set boot menu entries tries-left counter to the
                                                    specified value

See the bootctl(1) man page for details.
Options (38)
OptionDescriptionSource
-p --print-esp-pathPrint path to the EFI System Partition mount pointhelp
-x --print-boot-pathPrint path to the $BOOT partition mount pointhelp
--print-loader-pathPrint path to currently booted boot loader binaryhelp
--print-stub-pathPrint path to currently booted unified kernel binaryhelp
-R --print-root-devicePrint path to the block device node backing the root file system (returns e.g. /dev/nvme0n1p5)help
-RRPrint path to the whole disk block device node backing the root FS (returns e.g. /dev/nvme0n1)help
--print-efi-architecturePrint the local EFI architecture stringhelp
-h --helpShow this helphelp
--versionShow package versionhelp
--esp-path PATHPath to the EFI System Partition (ESP)help
--boot-path PATHPath to the $BOOT partitionhelp
--root PATHOperate on an alternate filesystem roothelp
--image PATHOperate on disk image as filesystem roothelp
--image-policy POLICYSpecify disk image dissection policyhelp
--install-source SOURCEWhere to pick files when using --root=/--image= (auto, image, host)help
--variables BOOLWhether to modify EFI variableshelp
--random-seed BOOLWhether to create random-seed file during installhelp
--no-pagerDo not start a pagerhelp
--gracefulDon't fail when the ESP cannot be found or EFI variables cannot be writtenhelp
-q --quietSuppress outputhelp
--entry-token TOKENEntry token to use for this installation (machine-id, os-id, os-image-id, auto, literal:…)help
--make-entry-directory BOOL|autoCreate $BOOT/ENTRY-TOKEN/ directoryhelp
--json FORMATGenerate JSON output (pretty, short, or off)help
--all-architecturesInstall all supported EFI architectureshelp
--efi-boot-option-description DESCRIPTIONDescription of the entry in the boot option listhelp
-n --dry-runDry run (unlink and cleanup)help
--secure-boot-auto-enroll BOOLSet up secure boot auto-enrollmenthelp
--private-key PATH|URIPrivate key for Secure Boot auto-enrollmenthelp
--private-key-source SOURCESpecify how to use the private key (file, provider:PROVIDER, engine:ENGINE)help
--certificate PATH|URIPEM certificate to use when setting up Secure Boot auto-enrollment, or a provider-specific designation if --certificate-source= is usedhelp
--certificate-source SOURCESpecify how to interpret the certificate fromhelp
--oldest BOOLDelete oldest boot menu entryhelp
--keep-free BYTESHow much space to keep free on ESP/XBOOTLDRhelp
--entry-title TITLESelects the entry title for the new boot menu entryhelp
--entry-version VERSIONSelects the entry version for the new boot menu entryhelp
--entry-commit NRSelects the entry commit version for the new boot menu entryhelp
-X --extra=PATHPass extra resource (confext, sysext, credential) to the invoked UKI of the boot menu entryhelp
--tries-left NRSet boot menu entries tries-left counter to the specified valuehelp

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.