NAME
localectl - Control the system locale and keyboard layout settings
SYNOPSIS
localectl [OPTIONS...] {COMMAND}
DESCRIPTION
localectl may be used to query and change the system locale and keyboard layout settings. It communicates with systemd-localed(8) to modify files such as /etc/locale.conf and /etc/vconsole.conf.
The system locale controls the language settings of system services and of the UI before the user logs in, such as the display manager, as well as the default for users after login.
The keyboard settings control the keyboard layout used on the text console and of the graphical UI before the user logs in, such as the display manager, as well as the default for users after login.
Note that the changes performed using this tool might require the initrd to be rebuilt to take effect during early system boot. The initrd is not rebuilt automatically by localectl, this task has to be performed manually, usually by reinstalling the distribution's kernel package.
Note that systemd-firstboot(1) may be used to initialize the system locale for mounted (but not booted) system images.
COMMANDS
The following commands are understood:
status
Added in version 195.
set-locale LOCALE, set-locale VARIABLE=LOCALE...
Added in version 195.
list-locales
Added in version 195.
set-keymap MAP [TOGGLEMAP]
Added in version 195.
list-keymaps
Added in version 195.
set-x11-keymap LAYOUT [MODEL [VARIANT [OPTIONS]]]
Added in version 195.
list-x11-keymap-models, list-x11-keymap-layouts, list-x11-keymap-variants [LAYOUT], list-x11-keymap-options
Added in version 201.
OPTIONS
The following options are understood:
-l, --full
Added in version 257.
--no-convert
Added in version 195.
-H, --host=
-M, --machine=
--no-ask-password
-h, --help
--version
--no-pager
EXIT STATUS
On success, 0 is returned, a non-zero failure code otherwise.
ENVIRONMENT
$SYSTEMD_LOG_LEVEL
$SYSTEMD_LOG_COLOR
This setting is only useful when messages are written directly to the terminal, because journalctl(1) and other tools that display logs will color messages based on the log level on their own.
$SYSTEMD_LOG_TIME
This setting is only useful when messages are written directly to the terminal or a file, because journalctl(1) and other tools that display logs will attach timestamps based on the entry metadata on their own.
$SYSTEMD_LOG_LOCATION
Note that the log location is often attached as metadata to journal entries anyway. Including it directly in the message text can nevertheless be convenient when debugging programs.
$SYSTEMD_LOG_TID
Note that the this information is attached as metadata to journal entries anyway. Including it directly in the message text can nevertheless be convenient when debugging programs.
$SYSTEMD_LOG_TARGET
$SYSTEMD_LOG_RATELIMIT_KMSG
$SYSTEMD_PAGER, $PAGER
Note: if $SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE is not set, $SYSTEMD_PAGER and $PAGER can only be used to disable the pager (with "cat" or ""), and are otherwise ignored.
$SYSTEMD_LESS
Users might want to change two options in particular:
K
If the value of $SYSTEMD_LESS does not include "K", and the pager that is invoked is less, Ctrl+C will be ignored by the executable, and needs to be handled by the pager.
X
Note that setting the regular $LESS environment variable has no effect for less invocations by systemd tools.
See less(1) for more discussion.
$SYSTEMD_LESSCHARSET
Note that setting the regular $LESSCHARSET environment variable has no effect for less invocations by systemd tools.
$SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE
This option takes a boolean argument. When set to true, the "secure mode" of the pager is enabled. In "secure mode", LESSSECURE=1 will be set when invoking the pager, which instructs the pager to disable commands that open or create new files or start new subprocesses. Currently only less(1) is known to understand this variable and implement "secure mode".
When set to false, no limitation is placed on the pager. Setting SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE=0 or not removing it from the inherited environment may allow the user to invoke arbitrary commands.
When $SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE is not set, systemd tools attempt to automatically figure out if "secure mode" should be enabled and whether the pager supports it. "Secure mode" is enabled if the effective UID is not the same as the owner of the login session, see geteuid(2) and sd_pid_get_owner_uid(3), or when running under sudo(8) or similar tools ($SUDO_UID is set [1]). In those cases, SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE=1 will be set and pagers which are not known to implement "secure mode" will not be used at all. Note that this autodetection only covers the most common mechanisms to elevate privileges and is intended as convenience. It is recommended to explicitly set $SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE or disable the pager.
Note that if the $SYSTEMD_PAGER or $PAGER variables are to be honoured, other than to disable the pager, $SYSTEMD_PAGERSECURE must be set too.
$SYSTEMD_COLORS
$SYSTEMD_URLIFY
SEE ALSO
systemd(1), locale(7), locale.conf(5), vconsole.conf(5), loadkeys(1), kbd(4), The XKB Configuration Guide[2], systemctl(1), systemd-localed.service(8), systemd-firstboot(1)
NOTES
- 1.
It is recommended for other tools to set and check $SUDO_UID as appropriate, treating it is a common interface.
- 2.
The XKB Configuration Guide