OS Manuals

/usr/bin/mount

Makes a file system available for use

From mount 2.42.4-r2 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running mount --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage:
 mount [-lhV]
 mount -a [options]
 mount [options] [--source] <source> | [--target] <directory>
 mount [options] <source> <directory>
 mount <operation> <mountpoint> [<target>]

Mount a filesystem.

Options:
 -a, --all               mount all filesystems mentioned in fstab
 -c, --no-canonicalize   don't canonicalize paths
     --beneath           attach the filesystem beneath the top mount
     --exclusive         allow only one filesystem instance
 -f, --fake              dry run; skip the mount(2) syscall
 -F, --fork              fork off for each device (use with -a)
 -T, --fstab <path>      alternative file to /etc/fstab
 -i, --internal-only     don't call the mount.<type> helpers
 -l, --show-labels       show also filesystem labels
     --map-groups <inner>:<outer>:<count>
                         add the specified GID map to an ID-mapped mount
     --map-users <inner>:<outer>:<count>
                         add the specified UID map to an ID-mapped mount
     --map-users /proc/<pid>/ns/user
                         specify the user namespace for an ID-mapped mount
 -m, --mkdir[=<mode>]    alias to '-o X-mount.mkdir[=<mode>]'
 -n, --no-mtab           don't write to /etc/mtab
     --options-mode <mode>
                         what to do with options loaded from fstab
     --options-source <source>
                         mount options source
     --options-source-force
                         force use of options from fstab/mtab
     --onlyonce          check if filesystem is already mounted on target
 -o, --options <list>    comma-separated list of mount options
 -O, --test-opts <list>  limit the set of filesystems (use with -a)
 -r, --ro, --read-only   mount the filesystem read-only (same as -o ro)
 -t, --types <list>      limit the set of filesystem types
     --source <src>      explicitly specifies source (path, label, uuid)
     --target <target>   explicitly specifies mountpoint
     --target-prefix <path>
                         specifies path used for all mountpoints
 -v, --verbose           say what is being done
 -w, --rw, --read-write  mount the filesystem read-write (default)
 -N, --namespace <ns>    perform mount in another namespace

 -h, --help              display this help
 -V, --version           display version

Source:
 -L, --label <label>     synonym for LABEL=<label>
 -U, --uuid <uuid>       synonym for UUID=<uuid>
 LABEL=<label>           specifies device by filesystem label
 UUID=<uuid>             specifies device by filesystem UUID
 PARTLABEL=<label>       specifies device by partition label
 PARTUUID=<uuid>         specifies device by partition UUID
 ID=<id>                 specifies device by udev hardware ID
 <device>                specifies device by path
 <directory>             mountpoint for bind mounts (see --bind/rbind)
 <file>                  regular file for loopdev setup

Operations:
 -B, --bind              mount a subtree somewhere else (same as -o bind)
 -M, --move              move a subtree to some other place
 -R, --rbind             mount a subtree and all submounts somewhere else
 --make-shared           mark a subtree as shared
 --make-slave            mark a subtree as slave
 --make-private          mark a subtree as private
 --make-unbindable       mark a subtree as unbindable
 --make-rshared          recursively mark a whole subtree as shared
 --make-rslave           recursively mark a whole subtree as slave
 --make-rprivate         recursively mark a whole subtree as private
 --make-runbindable      recursively mark a whole subtree as unbindable

For more details see mount(8).
Options (43)
OptionDescriptionSource
-a, --allMount all filesystems (of the given types) mentioned in fstab (except for those whose line contains the noauto keyword).help + man
-c, --no-canonicalizeDo not canonicalize any paths or tags during the mount process.help + man
--beneathMount the filesystem beneath the top mount of the specified target (mountpoint), allowing the top mount to be unmounted.help + man
--exclusiveEnsures that the filesystem is mounted as a unique instance and that the filesystem superblock is not reused by the kernel.help + man
-f, --fakeCauses everything to be done except for the mount-related system calls.help + man
-F, --fork(Used in conjunction with -a.) Fork off a new incarnation of mount for each device.help + man
-T, --fstab pathSpecifies an alternative fstab file.help + man
-i, --internal-onlyDon’t call the /sbin/mount.filesystem helper even if it exists.help + man
-l, --show-labelsAdd the labels in the mount output.help + man
--map-groups inner>:<outer>:<countAdd the specified user/group mapping to an X-mount.idmap map.help + man
--map-users inner>:<outer>:<countadd the specified UID map to an ID-mapped mounthelp
-m, --mkdir modeAllow to make a target directory (mountpoint) if it does not exist yet.help + man
-n, --no-mtabMount without writing in /etc/mtab.help + man
--options-mode modeControls how to combine options from fstab/mtab with options from the command line.help + man
--options-source sourceSource of default options.help + man
--options-source-forceUse options from fstab/mtab even if both device and dir are specified.help + man
--onlyonceForces mount command to check if the filesystem is already mounted on specified mountpoint.help + man
-o, --options listcomma-separated list of mount optionshelp + man
-O, --test-opts listLimit the set of filesystems to which the -a option applies.help + man
-r, --ro, --read-onlymount the filesystem read-only (same as -o ro)help + man
-t, --types listThe argument following the -t is used to indicate the filesystem type.help + man
--source srcIf only one argument for the mount command is given, then the argument might be interpreted as the target (mountpoint) or source (device).help + man
--target targetIf only one argument for the mount command is given, then the argument might be interpreted as the target (mountpoint) or source (device).help + man
--target-prefix pathPrepend the specified directory to all mount targets.help + man
-v, --verbosesay what is being donehelp + man
-w, --rw, --read-writemount the filesystem read-write (default)help + man
-N, --namespace nsPerform the mount operation in the mount namespace specified by ns.help + man
-h, --helpDisplay help text and exit.help + man
-V, --versionDisplay version and exit.help + man
-L, --label labelMount the partition that has the specified label.help + man
-U, --uuid uuidMount the partition that has the specified uuid.help + man
-B, --bindRemount a subtree somewhere else (so that its contents are available in both places).help + man
-M, --moveMove a subtree to some other place.help + man
-R, --rbindRemount a subtree and all possible submounts somewhere else (so that its contents are available in both places).help + man
--make-sharedmark a subtree as sharedhelp
--make-slavemark a subtree as slavehelp
--make-privatemark a subtree as privatehelp
--make-unbindablemark a subtree as unbindablehelp
--make-rsharedrecursively mark a whole subtree as sharedhelp
--make-rslaverecursively mark a whole subtree as slavehelp
--make-rprivaterecursively mark a whole subtree as privatehelp
--make-runbindablerecursively mark a whole subtree as unbindablehelp
-sTolerate sloppy mount options rather than failing. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
Exit status (9) from the manual page
0success
1incorrect invocation or permissions
2system error (out of memory, cannot fork, no more loop devices)
4internal mount bug
8user interrupt
16problems writing or locking /etc/mtab
32mount failure
64some mount succeeded
126failed to execute external /sbin/mount.<type> mount helper (since util-linux v2.41)

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