Where Is the Polybar Config File?
Where Polybar looks for config.ini on Linux, and how the user config overrides the system default.
Last updated
Polybar searches a short list in order: a -c path if given, then ~/.config/polybar/config or config.ini, then system paths under /etc. The first file found wins.
The package ships a usable default at /etc/polybar/config.ini. Copy it down to your home folder before changing anything. Editing /etc directly works until the next package update replaces it.
Where Polybar stores this, by platform
~/.config/polybar/config.ini
Main user config in INI format. First section must be a header like [bar/mybar]. Launch scripts usually live beside it as launch.sh.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create my own Polybar config?
Copy /etc/polybar/config.ini to ~/.config/polybar/config.ini and edit the copy. Polybar prefers the user file and ignores the system one once yours exists. Launch with polybar <bar-name> matching a [bar/...] section.
Can I use a config file somewhere else?
Pass -c with an explicit path, e.g. polybar -c ~/.config/polybar/work.ini mybar. This is handy for testing without touching your daily config. The -r flag reloads it live on save.
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