resizecons

resizecons [-S] [-s rows] [-l] [-V] [-?] [cols] [rows]
resizecons [-?] colsxrows

cols rows
    Sets the console screen to the specified number of cols (columns) and rows. For example, '80 25'.

colsxrows
    An alternative syntax to set the console screen to cols (columns) and rows. For example, '80x25'.

-S
    If specified, the number of rows is ignored and resizecons attempts to guess a suitable value for the number of rows based on the current font and screen size. This is useful for setting columns while letting the system determine row count.

-s rows
    Sets the font size to accommodate the specified number of rows, keeping the number of columns as is. This effectively changes the height of the font.

-l
    Lists the valid console screen sizes that resizecons can set on the current system, useful for determining supported resolutions.

-V
    Prints version information for resizecons and exits.

-?
    Prints a usage message (help information) and exits.

resizecons is a utility used to change the size (number of columns and rows) of the Linux console (text mode) screen. It allows users to set a specific resolution for the textual display, which can be useful when the default console settings do not match the monitor's capabilities or user preferences. This command interacts directly with the kernel's console drivers, often relying on framebuffer capabilities to achieve different display modes. It's typically used in situations where a finer control over the text console's appearance is desired, such as during system boot, in recovery mode, or on systems without a graphical environment. The specified dimensions must be supported by the system's hardware and kernel configuration. Using resizecons requires root privileges.

resizecons requires root privileges to operate. It only affects the Linux text console and has no impact on graphical environments (like X11 or Wayland). The new dimensions must be supported by the underlying video hardware and kernel configuration; choosing an unsupported mode can potentially lead to a blank or unusable console. Modern systems often manage console resolution via kernel boot parameters (e.g., video=) or display managers, reducing the direct need for this command.

To modify the console's dimensions, resizecons must be executed with superuser (root) permissions.

This command is designed exclusively for the text-mode virtual consoles (e.g., TTYs 1-6) and does not affect graphical desktop environments or applications.

On systems using the Linux framebuffer console (fbcon), resizecons can leverage framebuffer capabilities to offer a wider range of resolutions beyond standard text modes. Its effectiveness often depends on the correctly loaded framebuffer driver.

resizecons is part of the kbd (keyboard and console tools) package, which provides various utilities for managing the Linux console. It has been a staple tool for console configuration for many years, addressing the fundamental need to control the textual display dimensions. While still functional, its direct usage has become less common on modern systems that predominantly rely on graphical interfaces or advanced bootloader/kernel configuration for console settings.

setfont(8), kbd_mode(1), vcs(4), console_ioctl(4), fbdev(4)