bootctl

Index · Directives systemd 234

## Name

bootctl — Control the firmware and boot manager settings

## Synopsis

`bootctl [OPTIONS...] status`

`bootctl [OPTIONS...] update`

`bootctl [OPTIONS...] install`

`bootctl [OPTIONS...] remove`

## Description

bootctl checks, updates, installs or removes the boot loader from the current system.

bootctl status checks and prints the currently installed versions of the boot loader binaries and all current EFI boot variables.

bootctl update updates all installed versions of systemd-boot, if the current version is newer than the version installed in the EFI system partition. This also includes the EFI default/fallback loader at `/EFI/BOOT/BOOT*.EFI`. A systemd-boot entry in the EFI boot variables is created if there is no current entry. The created entry will be added to the end of the boot order list.

bootctl install installs systemd-boot into the EFI system partition. A copy of systemd-boot will be stored as the EFI default/fallback loader at `/EFI/BOOT/BOOT*.EFI`. A systemd-boot entry in the EFI boot variables is created and added to the top of the boot order list.

bootctl remove removes all installed versions of systemd-boot from the EFI system partition, and removes systemd-boot from the EFI boot variables.

If no command is passed, status is implied.

## Options

The following options are understood:

`-h`, `--help`

  Print a short help text and exit.

`--version`

  Print a short version string and exit.

`--path=`

  Path to the EFI System Partition (ESP). If not specified, `/efi`, `/boot`, and `/boot/efi` are checked in turn. It is recommended to mount the ESP to `/boot`, if possible.

`--no-variables`

  Do not touch the EFI boot variables.

## Exit status

On success, 0 is returned, a non-zero failure code otherwise.

## See Also

Boot loader specification Systemd boot loader interface