systemctl-mask
Completely prevent unit from starting
TLDR
Mask a service (prevent it from being started)
$ systemctl mask [service_name]
Mask a service and stop it if running$ systemctl mask [service_name] --now
Mask a user service$ systemctl mask [service_name] --user
SYNOPSIS
systemctl [OPTIONS...] mask UNIT...
DESCRIPTION
systemctl mask links a unit to /dev/null, completely preventing it from being started by any means. This is stronger than disable, which only prevents automatic startup. Masked units cannot be started manually, by dependencies, or by any trigger.Masking is useful for units that conflict with your setup or that you want to ensure never run. Use systemctl unmask to reverse the operation.
PARAMETERS
--now
Also stop the unit after masking--user
Mask user service manager units instead of system units--runtime
Mask temporarily until next reboot only
CAVEATS
Requires root privileges for system units. Masked units are impossible to start until unmasked. Use carefully; masking essential units can break system functionality. Check for dependencies before masking to avoid breaking other services.
SEE ALSO
systemctl(1), systemctl-unmask(1), systemctl-disable(1)
