OS Manuals

/usr/bin/free

utilities for monitor processes on a system

From procps 4.0.7-r3 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running free --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage:
 free [options]

Options:
 -b, --bytes         show output in bytes
     --kilo          show output in kilobytes
     --mega          show output in megabytes
     --giga          show output in gigabytes
     --tera          show output in terabytes
     --peta          show output in petabytes
 -k, --kibi          show output in kibibytes
 -m, --mebi          show output in mebibytes
 -g, --gibi          show output in gibibytes
     --tebi          show output in tebibytes
     --pebi          show output in pebibytes
 -h, --human         show human-readable output
     --si            use powers of 1000 not 1024
 -l, --lohi          show detailed low and high memory statistics
 -L, --line          show output on a single line
 -t, --total         show total for RAM + swap
 -v, --committed     show committed memory and commit limit
 -s N, --seconds N   repeat printing every N seconds
 -c N, --count N     repeat printing N times, then exit
 -w, --wide          wide output

     --help     display this help and exit
 -V, --version  output version information and exit

For more details see free(1).
Options (22)
OptionDescriptionSource
-b, --bytesDisplay the amount of memory in bytes.help + man
--kiloDisplay the amount of memory in kilobytes.help + man
--megaDisplay the amount of memory in megabytes.help + man
--gigaDisplay the amount of memory in gigabytes.help + man
--teraDisplay the amount of memory in terabytes.help + man
--petaDisplay the amount of memory in petabytes.help + man
-k, --kibiDisplay the amount of memory in kibibytes.help + man
-m, --mebiDisplay the amount of memory in mebibytes.help + man
-g, --gibiDisplay the amount of memory in gibibytes.help + man
--tebiDisplay the amount of memory in tebibytes.help + man
--pebiDisplay the amount of memory in pebibytes.help + man
-h, --humanShow all output fields automatically scaled to shortest three digit unit and display the units of print out.help + man
--siUse kilo, mega, giga etc (power of 1000) instead of kibi, mebi, gibi (power of 1024).help + man
-l, --lohiShow detailed low and high memory statistics.help + man
-L, --lineShow output on a single line, often used with the -s option to show memory statistics repeatedly.help + man
-t, --totalDisplay a line showing the column totals.help + man
-v, --committedDisplay a line showing the memory commit limit and amount of committed/uncommitted memory.help + man
-s, --seconds NContinuously display the result delay seconds apart.help + man
-c, --count Nrepeat printing N times, then exithelp + man
-w, --wideSwitch to the wide mode.help + man
--helpdisplay this help and exithelp + man
-V, --versionoutput version information and exithelp + man

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