Ubuntu set screen timeout command line. Thanks for the command-line options, i.


  1. Ubuntu set screen timeout command line. In an interactive shell, the value is interpreted as the number of seconds to wait for a line of input after issuing the primary prompt. I'd like to increase this to 30 minutes fo Jan 9, 2025 · My screen goes blank every 10 minutes (after idle time, not touching keyboard and touchpad). I am not familiar with either of those, so a wide screen resolution is really helpful to better read the manual page or help command. target And this to re-enable it: sudo systemctl unmask sleep. It would be nice to have the option for the user to set time they prefer, like a user set timer option. Use the Screen Blank drop-down list under Power Saving Options to set the time until the screen blanks, or disable the blanking completely. ‘-A’ Adapt the sizes of all windows to the size of the display. That means that exactly 10 minutes after the last key press the X11 display blanks and you have to cycle to a virtual console to get the X11 screen back (very annoying during e. 04 (or above), how do I set the GRUB time and the default OS (that I see at boot time) as I'm dual-booting Windows (7/8) and Ubuntu (12. ) and uncheck the option to lock the screen. But while much of the new Ubuntu user interface seems to be modeled after the more popular graphical interfaces of Mac and Windows systems, there are still some things that are a bit tweaky and different. 04, and Ubuntu Unity 24. Using setterm, I can Feb 24, 2017 · Me? I love the command line and have been using it on Unix, Linux and even Mac OS X for a lotta years. you can create, manage, & reattach multiple terminal sessions in a single window. 04 Ask Question Asked 5 years, 5 months ago Modified 5 years, 1 month ago Nov 3, 2022 · The command line to enable the lock screen feature in Ubuntu is “gsettings set org. When enabled, your system will show the lock screen with your chosen background any time the desktop has been idle for a set amount of time. to call xrandr as soon an xterm window gets focus: xdotool search --class xterm behave %@ focus exec xrandr Share edited Display & screen Change the resolution or orientation of the screen Change the resolution of the screen and its orientation (rotation). video playback). To disable system suspend, you can use the following Mar 18, 2024 · For instance, there is the timeout command, part of the GNU coreutils package. "GNOME regedit") or command line: Timeout for blanking the screen (seconds; 0 = never): gsettings set org. One common issue that Ubuntu users often encounter is the screen blanking problem. Feb 26, 2022 · How to Change Screen Blank and Lock Delays in Ubuntu Linux?WHERE TO FIND SCREEN LOCK SETTINGS IN LINUX Modern Linux systems have nice Settings utilities and that’s what you need to fine-tune your sleep security settings. Most importantly, it allows me to source different dot files depending on whether or not a toddler will be running through the computer room when I get up for water. Feb 2, 2023 · To change the sudo timeout on Linux you can use the sudo visudo command. Adjust the color temperature of your screen Night Light changes the color of your displays according to the time of day. Total time: 2 minutes Estimated cost: 0 Tools used: Ubuntu 22. i3wm on Ubuntu. session idle-delay 3600 Timeout for locking the screen after blanking (seconds; 0 = instant): gsettings set org. May 23, 2025 · Changing the login screen timeout in Ubuntu 22. A 800x600 or 640x480, default screen resolution are too annoying for me. In my i3 config I have tried to set the timeout to 1 hour but it still turns dims the display after 1… GUI way: 1. Dec 17, 2024 · The xset command is an essential tool for managing user preferences in X (a window system commonly used for Unix and Unix-like operating systems). However, the minimum value is 15 minutes. If you have not already done so, you can log into Ubuntu Discourse using the same Ubuntu 419 This answer to Command line command to auto-kill a command after a certain amount of time proposes a 1-line method to timeout a long-running command from the bash command line: ( /path/to/slow command with options ) & sleep 5 ; kill $! But it's possible that a given "long-running" command may finish earlier than the timeout. In /boot/cmdline. d (The script name can be anything, log-out-sh is just a Jun 21, 2015 · 45 I've just installed Ubuntu Server 18. Oct 8, 2020 · Hello, I would like to make a suggestion for the Blank Screen settings option; currently we have the option to blank the screen from one minute to fifteen minutes or never. screensaver lock-enabled true” (without the quotes). session idle-delay gsettings set org. Sep 3, 2017 · Below steps are validated on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7. profile xset s 2400 The sec Jan 11, 2016 · I'm running Ubuntu Server on a laptop. This article outlines how to effectively use the timeout command in Bash to timeout a command Dec 5, 2024 · Change the Screen Timeout in Windows. target suspend. In this tutorial, we’ll see multiple ways to turn off a connected monitor directly from the Linux command line. Importantly, note the exit code. session idle-delay 600 Additionally, we can disable the automatic suspend when the system is running on AC power: Jun 24, 2022 · How do I prevent the screen from going blank after a period of inactivity for the login screen in 22. Nov 19, 2019 · Sudo will still time out in the bash session in screen, meaning that the command I've run will freeze waiting for the sudo password prompt, then time out and exit. Whether you're using a high - definition monitor, a projector, or a laptop with a specific display requirement, being able to change the screen resolution allows you to optimize the visibility of your desktop environment, applications, and content. By understanding the fundamental concepts and following the common and best practices outlined in this blog post, you can customize the timeout setting to suit your specific needs, whether Dec 21, 2022 · I had received a request to change the idle/lock screen timeout of our Ubuntu 22. The system settings (gnome-control-center) offers options to toggle on/off automatic suspend and inactive time delay. Nov 27, 2020 · This tutorial describes how to configure screen lock settings in various Linux desktop environments such as GNOME, KDE, Xfce, LXDE. session idle-delay 0 This command sets the value of the "idle-delay" setting to 0, which disables the screen lock when the user is idle. What is Screen Command The screen command for Linux is the remote control of your terminal. Aug 31, 2016 · Xubuntu 16. However, some commands may take longer than expected to execute, resulting in unnecessary system delays. Automatic Screen Lock and Blank Screen Delay improve security and privacy by preventing unauthorized access and screen viewing. The transition is complete and this forum is now closed to all new posts. This is independent of DPMS/screensaver related settings Jul 7, 2025 · The Linux screen command serves as a remote control for your terminal session. Jun 10, 2025 · Ubuntu is a widely - used Linux distribution known for its user - friendliness and extensive customization options. session idle-delay 300 Oct 16, 2011 · I looking for a method to turn-off the screensaver and powermanager but from the command line. Click Power to open the panel. The auto login feature is handled by the display manager service in most Linux. Change the appearance of your desktop Choose a style and set a background. Screen blanking is a power - saving feature that turns off the display after a certain period of inactivity. Follow our step-by-step guide to manage screen settings and notifications. Bash terminates after waiting for that number of seconds if a complete line of input does not Nov 7, 2023 · Proper use of timeout will make your Bash scripting more robust and efficient. : ) Mar 13, 2021 · 2 My server machine always has screen turned on on the login screen, which is shown right after the boot and where I have to input my login and password. 04 LTS, Ubuntu using netplan and ip command to configure networks. Here are the options, their defaults on my Ubuntu system, and their spheres of influence: A help and support forum for Ubuntu Linux. b) Then, select Settings from the options that pop down. target hybrid-sleep. The autorun apps should continue Jul 13, 2022 · Working with Ubuntu, one of the most irritating defaults is the screen timeout duration. By default, screen may try to restore its old window sizes when attaching to resizable Sep 15, 2020 · I am running Ubuntu 20. Now, let’s lock our desktop screen: $ xdg-screensaver lock Using the above command, our desktop screen will immediately lock, and therefore we Jun 10, 2025 · In Ubuntu, adjusting the screen resolution is a fundamental task that can significantly enhance your user experience. May 14, 2024 · This simple tutorial shows how to automatically login a user account in Ubuntu 24. Jan 28, 2014 · How to lock screen and at the time of unlock should ask password? How to do it from command prompt? I have tried: gnome-screensaver-command -l But not asking password at the unlock time. If you want to disable the feature, set X to zero: consoleblank=0. 04, Ubuntu MATE 24. Oct 4, 2019 · Changing Screen Resolution through the Command Line Please follow these steps in order to adjust the screen resolution on a Ubuntu system: Open the Terminal application either by using the Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut or by accessing it through the application launcher search as follows: Dec 27, 2023 · Toggle "Allow wakeup" for input devices under their Settings panels Change laptop lid action, hybrid sleep, hibernation under the Power tabs If your use case demands staying awake, you can also fully disable suspend under Battery or Line Power: Now your Ubuntu system will avoid sleeping so long as it has enough power. screensaver lock-delay 3600 gsettings set org. Sep 6, 2024 · We can also adjust and change the sleep and other power-related settings for GNOME systems using gsettings. gnome. I wonder whether there is a way to set timeout for powering the screen off after some time of inactivity on the login screen. This article will cover several use cases of the xset command, providing Jul 24, 2022 · After the screen is locked, I can't get a terminal window to invoke a terminal command to unlock the screen without unlocking the screen via the on-screen prompts. There is no desktop environment. Change Never to When the screensaver is activated for locking screen automatically after timeout. I'm aware this can be done via the GUI screen - but can this be done via the command line or via some Apr 25, 2022 · Learn how to disable automatic screen lock on Ubuntu 22. Nov 15, 2023 · In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll explain what resolution is, when to change it, and walk you through modifying resolution on Ubuntu using both the command line and graphical tools. 04, when set via GUI, is 15 minutes. In the upper right corner "USERNAME" menu select "Settings" 2. 04 or above)? This is controlled by your screensaver settings and doesn't require root, being set on a user-by-user basis. The value is defined in seconds. Alternative Ways to Set Time Limits in Bash In addition to the timeout command, there are a couple other ways to constrain shell commands: ulimit – Sets resource limits for the session or script, including maximum CPU time for processes. Such a user customizable feature can give the user the amount of time they prefer before the screen goes blank instead Jun 7, 2019 · You can give processes time limits, setting a maximum time they can run for with the timeout command. screensaver lock-delay 0 See full list on linuxways. It runs a command with a time limit. 04. Jul 11, 2025 · From executing lengthy installations to multi-tasking across multiple terminal windows, the screen command is easy to use, lightweight, and already present in most Linux installations such as Ubuntu, CentOS, or Debian. My issue is that the screen does not turn off, at all. 04, you might not know about the operating system enough to tinker with the settings, so in From the kernel documentation (The kernel's command-line parameters): consoleblank= [KNL] The console blank (screen saver) timeout in seconds. A value of 0 disables the blank timer. Nov 13, 2023 · Just like that, your screen lock is turned off system-wide with a single terminal command! To turn the screen lock back on: gsettings set org. If that doesn't help, let us know. screensaver lock-enabled true You can even configure the lock delay timeout in a similar way: gsettings set org. Dec 27, 2023 · The lock screen is essentially Ubuntu‘s screen saver on steroids. Left idle, the screen tends to dim out pretty quickly and lock you out of the system. This can be set in Settings → Power → Power Saving → Blank screen. Here I’m going to show you how to enable this feature, either 31 votes, 27 comments. Oct 11, 2023 · $ sudo update-grub This command updates the GRUB bootloader with your new configuration, enabling the console screen timeout we’ve set to take effect on next boot. desktop. How to Extend the Sudo Session Timeout Now that you understand what a sudo session is and how to view your current timeout, let’s look at how to extend this timeout. Aug 16, 2024 · H ow do I auto Logout my shell user in Linux after certain minutes of inactivity? Linux bash shell allows you to define the TMOUT environment variable. But why would you want to do that? Mar 18, 2024 · xdg-screensaver is a command-line utility used to interact with the screensaver application in Linux. Want to set a custom idle time for your Linux to automatically go to sleep? Here’s how to do this in Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, Manjaro and other Linux running Gnome Desktop. How do I run a command a time Limit on Linux? How do I run a Linux command, and have it timeout (abort) after N seconds? Can you give timeout command examples in Linux? GNU/Linux comes timeout command. Sep 18, 2021 · This brief tutorial describes how to auto logout inactive users after a particular period of time in Linux and Unix-like operating systems. How do I turn off the lock screen in Ubuntu? a) Click the quick access panel at the top right of the Ubuntu desktop. 3 Invoking Screen Screen has the following command-line options: ‘-a’ Include all capabilities (with some minor exceptions) in each window’s termcap, even if screen must redraw parts of the display in order to implement a function. sh script inside /etc/profile. This works well on Linux GNOME Ubuntu desktop. PS: On a Ubuntu 11. conf file as follows: Apr 26, 2025 · The value beside timestamp_timeout is the current session timeout in minutes. This blog post will provide Oct 14, 2015 · 13 I'm trying KDE desktop on Ubuntu 14. May 4, 2023 · Users can execute various commands and scripts using Bash, a powerful command-line interface. Apr 15, 2013 · 95 I installed Ubuntu and the resolution of the desktop is so big that it only shows about 50% of the screen, but is shows up normal while using command line. When you leave your computer, you should lock the screen to prevent other people from using your desktop and accessing your files. If the line doesn’t exist, it means your system is using the default value of 15 minutes. Simply run the screensaver control panel (It should be under Settings; if not, open a terminal and run xscreensaver-demo as a regular user. It allows users to control various aspects of the display environment, such as screensavers, display power management signaling (DPMS), keyboard beep settings, and more. This will help to secure your computer when you aren’t using it. When no actions have been made for like 10 or 15 minutes or so the screen locks and Spotify/youtube/anything is paused. g. Mar 11, 2025 · For those already using AvenaCloud VPS services, the screen command is an excellent complement, especially in environments where reliability and scalability are paramount. Aug 9, 2010 · How to lock the screen and put the computer to sleep (suspend) in a 1-liner from the command line (could be assigned to an Ubuntu shortcut key) Tested on Ubuntu 22. Aug 7, 2021 · The select command terminates if input does not arrive after TMOUT seconds when input is coming from a terminal. How do I set the screen timeout? Jun 1, 2018 · The maximum lock time in Ubuntu 18. Jan 8, 2024 · Ubuntu offers several command-line tools for manipulating display settings, including turning off the monitor. Dec 10, 2020 · timeout is a command-line utility that runs a specified command and terminates it if it is still running after a given period of time. May 18, 2020 · Since Ubuntu Server 18. Was this not what you wanted when you asked how to enable and disable the screen lock via terminal commands where Xfce is present? Oct 1, 2023 · Ever wanted to run a terminal command in the background, and then pull it up later? You need the Linux screen command! Sep 27, 2021 · I would like to configure ScreenSaver by command line (CLI) on Ubuntu MATE. Open the Activities overview and start typing Power. Jan 21, 2019 · In Ubuntu 18. Apr 20, 2023 · Enabling/Disabling Automatic Login through the Command Line As a superuser, you can enable automatic login for yourself or for any other Ubuntu user by making some configuration changes in the custom. "Power Saving->Blank Screen" = can be set from 1 - 15 minutes Command line way (to view and set it to 5 minutes): gsettings get org. May 17, 2023 · In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to enable automatic login in Ubuntu desktop and server editions. 04? I tried setting sleep-inactive-ac-timeout=0 and sleep-inactive-ac-type='nothing' in /etc/gdm3/ Sep 13, 2013 · I am attempting to disable screensaver, screen blank and screen lock via the command line. There is not an option in the standard Ubuntu menu for a 60 minute idle timeout, the maximum is 15 minutes. Installing XScreenSaver Open a terminal and run the following command to uninstall gnome-screensaver: May 16, 2025 · Grub Timeout Support and Help general-help, desktop quarkrad May 16, 2025, 5:15am 1 Ubuntu Version: 22. txt add consoleblank=X where X is the number of seconds of inactivity (for example consoleblank=120 will wait for two minutes). The GNOME developers think a black screen that puts your monitor into lower-power mode is optimal. The lock screen can be configured and customized via the GUI’s settings menu or from a configuration file via the command line. 04LTS (the start screen now says "kubuntu" but the DE was installed on top of regular ubuntu). e. Jun 7, 2011 · On Ubuntu 16. screensaver lock-enabled false Jun 15, 2022 · The KDE desktop environment is highly customizable, including the GUI’s lock screen. We set a timeout of one second before timeout should kill the process. Use the visudo command: sudo visudo . 1 (no GUI, X, nor anything graphical), and after breaking my back last night trying to turn off the screen I finally found the magic command: setterm --blank 1 After executing the command the screen will turn off automatically every minute (if idle). Specifically, we’ll discuss using vbetool, xset, and xrandr tools to turn a monitor on or off in Ubuntu 22. This allows me to put different settings based on users or use-cases. I tried to add this line to my . I'd like to increase this to 30 minutes fo Jan 11, 2016 · I'm running Ubuntu Server on a laptop. Auto-logout functionality is mostly used to logout a user if the session is idle for a while. Jan 26, 2025 · Learn how to prevent cron job hangs with the `timeout` command, ensuring your scripts run smoothly even when services become unresponsive. Purpose: Sets a timeout for inactivity in a shell session, automatically exiting the session if no commands or inputs are executed within the specified duration. This will enable you to edit the sudoers file for your system from the terminal, using your distro’s default command-line text editor. To clarify, we can use this command to lock the desktop screen, control the screensaver timeout, and get information about the screensaver status. Open the sudoers file. target From man systemctl: mask NAME Mask one or more units, as specified on the command line. This convenient feature allows you to bypass the login screen on Ubuntu Desktop, allowing direct access to your desktop environment. net Jun 1, 2018 · The maximum lock time in Ubuntu 18. session idle-delay 3600 Oct 19, 2020 · Here are two ways you can automatically log out idle users from your Linux system. What is Screen Resolution? Your display is made up of thousands or millions of tiny dots called pixels. Go to "Power" 3. 04 sets "Automatically lock the session" to Never by default. Mar 26, 2017 · I am trying to set the screen timeout so that the computer does not timeout during transfer of a large file. This is an update about the transition of the forums to Ubuntu Discourse. 04 LTS, I successfully used the following to disable suspend: sudo systemctl mask sleep. In Ubuntu Server, it eliminates the need to manually enter your credentials every time. The timeout command is a part of the GNU core utilities package, which is installed on almost any Linux distribution. Lock the screen Set screen blanking time — Change the screen blanking time to save power. Remember that . bashrc isn't a file you would normally see in your home folder because it is hidden by default. For example, let’s set a screen blank timeout to 600 seconds (10 minutes): $ gsettings set org. In other words, timeout allows you to run a command with a time limit. 04 and its flavors, such as KUbuntu 24. If you sometimes forget to lock your screen, you may wish to have your computer’s screen lock automatically after a set period of time. Start in an Ubuntu computer by using the handy “Settings” shortcut from the top right of the menubar: The Settings program remembers the last thing you checked so it’s Method 1: Using the Command Line Interface (CLI) To disable screen lock, you can use the following command in the terminal: gsettings set org. What if […] May 29, 2018 · This changes to 1024x768 with 100% scaling: xrandr --output DP2 --mode 1024x768 --scale 1x1 Further reading: man xrandr How do I change the screen resolution using Ubuntu command line? To automate this I’d use xdotool, e. 04, XUbuntu 24. Dec 24, 2023 · The TMOUT variable in Linux is an important environment variable, particularly used in Bash shell sessions, to automatically terminate a shell session after a set period of inactivity. I do not have any xserver installed, so x related answers won't work. 04, Terminal Step 1: Open Terminal Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) Step 2: Blank/Idle screen Mar 10, 2014 · You can put the desired values directly in GSettings, either via the dconf-editor app (i. 2. Jun 8, 2012 · In Ubuntu 12. screensaver idle-activation-enabled false recheck with dconf-editor when using the gui, these properties will also change in dconf-editor. 10 system (Thinkpad X200) I noticed a bug where the console blanking by the kernel interferes with a running X11 session. Apr 12, 2020 · How to change screen settings or display options from terminal (L)ubuntu 18. Anyone needing support for Ubuntu or the official flavours should seek help at Ubuntu Discourse. Getting Started with Screen Command Installation and Basic Usage In most Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu or CentOS, the screen command is not installed by default. May 9, 2013 · Screensavers were actually removed back in Ubuntu 11. Sep 2, 2022 · The post explains how to adjust the Blank Screen Delay feature in Ubuntu Linux, which sets the screen to go blank after a period of inactivity. To address this issue, the timeout command can be used to limit the amount of time a command runs. In this tutorial, you will learn various ways to customize the desktop lock screen in the KDE desktop environment on a Linux system. What should I type in the command line to change the desktop screen resolution? Nov 17, 2024 · I want to start command called foo, and kill it if still running after given DURATION in seconds. This is because the settings will be applied in an unattended install. 04 is a straightforward process, whether you prefer to use the graphical user interface or the command line. Sep 21, 2025 · Learn how to disable screen lock on Ubuntu efficiently. Jul 13, 2023 · In this short tutorial, you are going to learn how you can use timeout and timelimit tools to run Linux commands with a time limit. 04 LTS users for a specific department to 60 minutes. If you are new to Ubuntu 22. 12 these settings will help gsettings set org. 04 Gnome Shell Power settings, you can choose how long when system is inactive to turn off the screen, though only from 1 minute to 15 minutes and ‘Never’ are available in the drop-down box. Leaving you need to input your password every couple of minutes, which can be very irksome at times. This will link these unit files Mar 13, 2024 · Do you want to turn off Monitor when not in use? If yes, then you can use the PowerCFG command to set the Monitor Timeout in Windows 11/10. 10. Hello, Unregistered. 04 as shown below: Control Center > Look Jan 30, 2018 · Now scroll down to the end of the file and add the following line alias lock='gnome-screensaver-command --lock' After having saved the file, whenever you run the command lock it actually executes gnome-screensaver-command --lock. To only disable a root user, create a log-out. Ideal for users wanting to manage lock settings effectively. What Does timeout Do For You? The timeout command allows you to set a limit on the length of time a program will run for. It varies depends on your desktop environment and user configuration. Defaults to 0. The timeout command stops an executed process after the timeout period: $ timeout 1s bash -c 'for((;;)); do :; done' $ echo $? 124 Here, we run an endless loop. 04 with this guide. Thanks for the command-line options, i. I want to set the timeout to 0 or close to that so that the screen will be off unless I wake it. Ubuntu uses gnome-screensaver and inherited the change from upstream GNOME. I am already familiar with the GUI to configure ScreenSaver on Ubuntu MATE 20. Dec 3, 2022 · Sometimes I use laptops in the home lab, and to save myself on a few watts of power usage I use these terminal commands to turn off the display, then just SSH into it from my PC. Using this article you should be able to set different timeout values for individual user in your Linux setup. Aug 22, 2019 · Control how long of an idle delay timeout GNOME has before it locks your screen with a single command. It automatically turns off your screen after a certain period of inactivity to save battery life. 04 server on a raspberry pi 4. 04 Desktop Environment (if applicable): Mate Problem Description: Sep 6, 2012 · I am using Ubuntu 12. Tested working in freshly installed Xubuntu 16. Mar 24, 2025 · Using the Gnome Desktop, you can disable automatic screen locking after it blanks with the command: gsettings set org. One can also use Perl or bash shell to run a command and Jun 21, 2010 · So I've set one of my keyboard function keys to this desktop launcher (to switch from laptop to external) and then another key which runs the opposite desktop shortcut file. Most important step ! And guess what… REBOOT ! In conclusion, repurposing your old laptop as a Proxmox server is a sustainable and cost-effective way to harness its power. screensaver lock-enabled false gsettings set org. I'd like to increase this time (40 minutes). While this is useful for conserving energy, it can sometimes be a nuisance, especially See Also Automatically lock your screen — Prevent other people from using your desktop when you go away from your computer. how to change the settings from terminal. Sep 6, 2023 · You can edit/disable the timeout as explained in the Raspberry Pi Documentation section Configuring Screen Blanking / On console. Is there any way to lock the screen or session from a terminal command or script? Mar 18, 2024 · Learn how to disable the desktop screen lock for the GNOME desktop environment via the command line and GUI. Set TMOUT to log users out after a period of inactivity automatically. Here's a tutorial to putting limits on running programs with this command. target hibernate. i77rh cye1d gyw 0v 8y js rqc 3m7j p1hz7g oj