OS Manuals

/usr/bin/who

GNU core utilities

From coreutils 9.12-r7 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running who --help (exit 0). permalink

Also provided by 1 other package version
Usage: /usr/bin/who [OPTION]... [ FILE | ARG1 ARG2 ]
Print information about users who are currently logged in.

  -a, --all         same as -b -d --login -p -r -t -T -u
  -b, --boot        time of last system boot
  -d, --dead        print dead processes
  -H, --heading     print line of column headings
  -l, --login       print system login processes
      --lookup      attempt to canonicalize hostnames via DNS
  -m                only hostname and user associated with standard input
  -p, --process     print active processes spawned by init
  -q, --count       all login names and number of users logged on
  -r, --runlevel    print current runlevel
  -s, --short       print only name, line, and time (default)
  -t, --time        print last system clock change
  -T, -w, --mesg    add user's message status as +, - or ?
  -u, --users       list users logged in, including idle time
      --message     same as -T
      --writable    same as -T
      --help
         display this help and exit
      --version
         output version information and exit

If FILE is not specified, use /var/run/utmp.  /var/log/wtmp as FILE is common.
If ARG1 ARG2 given, -m presumed: 'am i' or 'mom likes' are usual.

Report bugs to: <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/who>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) who invocation'
Options (18)
OptionDescriptionSource
-a, --allsame as -b -d --login -p -r -t -T -uhelp + man
-b, --boottime of last system boothelp + man
-d, --deadprint dead processeshelp + man
-H, --headingprint line of column headingshelp + man
-l, --loginprint system login processeshelp + man
--lookupattempt to canonicalize hostnames via DNShelp + man
-monly hostname and user associated with standard inputhelp + man
-p, --processprint active processes spawned by inithelp + man
-q, --countall login names and number of users logged onhelp + man
-r, --runlevelprint current runlevelhelp + man
-s, --shortprint only name, line, and time (default)help + man
-t, --timeprint last system clock changehelp + man
-T, -w, --mesgadd user's message status as +, - or ?help + man
-u, --userslist users logged in, including idle timehelp + man
--messagesame as -Thelp + man
--writablesame as -Thelp + man
--helpdisplay this help and exithelp + man
--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.