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SETXKBMAP(1)		     General Commands Manual		    SETXKBMAP(1)

NAME
     setxkbmap -- set keymaps and layouts via the X Keyboard Extension

SYNOPSIS
     setxkbmap [options] [layout [variant [option ...]]]

DESCRIPTION
     The  setxkbmap  utility maps the keyboard to use the specified layout in an
     X(7) session.  For a table of available layouts and options, see xkeyboard-
     config(7).

     The options are as follows:

     -?, -help
	     Print a message describing the valid input to setxkbmap.

     -compat name
	     Specify the name of the compatibility map component  used	to  con-
	     struct a keyboard layout.

     -config file
	     Specify  the  name of an XKB configuration file which describes the
	     keyboard to be used.

     -device deviceid
	     Specify the numeric device id of the input  device  to  be  updated
	     with  the new keyboard layout.  If not specified, the core keyboard
	     device of the Xorg(1) server is updated.

     -display display
	     Specify the display to be updated with the new keyboard layout.

     -geometry name
	     Specify the name of the geometry component used to construct a key-
	     board layout.

     -I directory
	     Add a directory to the list of directories to be used to search for
	     the specified layout or rules files.

     -keycodes name
	     Specify the name of the keycodes component used to construct a key-
	     board layout.

     -keymap name
	     Specify the name of the keymap description used to construct a key-
	     board layout.

     -layout name
	     Specify the name of the layout used  to  determine  the  components
	     which  make  up  the  keyboard description.  The -layout option may
	     only be used once.  Multiple layouts can be specified as  a  comma-
	     separated list.

     -model name
	     Specify the name of the keyboard model used to determine the compo-
	     nents  which  make up the keyboard description.  Only one model may
	     be specified on the command line.

     -option name
	     Specify the name of an option to  determine  the  components  which
	     make  up  the  keyboard description; multiple options may be speci-
	     fied, one per -option flag.  Note that setxkbmap adds options spec-
	     ified in the command line to the options that were set  before  (as
	     saved  in root window properties).  If you want to replace all pre-
	     viously specified options, use the -option flag with an empty argu-
	     ment first.

     -print  Print component names in a  format  acceptable  by  the  xkbcomp(1)
	     keymap compiler and exit.	The option can be used for tests instead
	     of  a  verbose  option  and in cases when one needs to run both the
	     setxkbmap and xkbcomp(1) utilities in chain (see below).

     -query  Print the current rules, model, layout, variant, and options,  then
	     exit.

     -rules file
	     Specify  the  name  of the rules file used to resolve the requested
	     layout and model to a set of component names.

     -symbols name
	     Specify the name of the symbols component used to construct a  key-
	     board layout.

     -synch  Force synchronization for X requests.

     -types name
	     Specify  the  name  of the types component used to construct a key-
	     board layout.

     -variant name
	     Specify which variant of the keyboard layout should be used to  de-
	     termine the components which make up the keyboard description.  The
	     -variant  option  may  only be used once.	Multiple variants can be
	     specified as a comma-separated list and will be  matched  with  the
	     layouts specified with -layout.

     -v[erbose] [level]
	     Specify  level of verbosity in output messages.  Valid levels range
	     from 0 (least verbose) to 10 (most verbose).  Default:  5.   If  no
	     level is specified, each -v or -verbose flag raises the level by 1.

     -version
	     Print the utility's version number and exit.

IMPLEMENTATION NOTES
     An XKB keymap is constructed from a number of components which are compiled
     only  as  needed by converting the arguments to the names of XKB configura-
     tion files in /usr/local/share/X11/xkb on the X(7) client.  Those filenames
     are then passed to the Xorg(1) server, unless printed  to	stdout(4),  with
     -print.

FILES
     /usr/local/share/X11/xkb  source for all XKB components

EXIT STATUS
     The setxkbmap utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.

EXAMPLES
     Rebind the Caps Lock key as an additional Left Control:

	   setxkbmap -option ctrl:nocaps

     Set  the  layout  to  US, composing the keymap on the client for situations
     where XKB component files may differ between the Xserver(1) and client:

	   setxkbmap us -print | xkbcomp - $DISPLAY

     Reset XKB options:

	   setxkbmap -option

DIAGNOSTICS
     Cannot open display "default display"  The shell environment is  not  aware
     of a currently running X(7) session.  Start X(7) before using this utility,
     or set the DISPLAY environment variable.

     Running  setxkbmap against an Xwayland server  This utility will not run in
     an Xwayland(1) session.  Use the Wayland Compositor's native XKB configura-
     tion method instead.

SEE ALSO
     xkbcomp(1), X(7), xkeyboard-config(7)

HISTORY
     setxkbmap first appeared in XFree86 3.2.

FreeBSD ports 15.quarterly	 March 29, 2025 		    SETXKBMAP(1)

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