systemctl-unmask

re-enable a masked systemd unit

TLDR

Unmask a service

$ systemctl unmask [service_name]

Unmask and start it immediately

$ systemctl unmask --now [service_name]

Unmask a user unit

$ systemctl --user unmask [service_name]

Unmask only until reboot (runtime mask)

$ systemctl unmask --runtime [service_name]

Unmask several units at once

$ systemctl unmask [unit1] [unit2] [unit3]

SYNOPSIS

systemctl unmask [OPTIONS] UNIT...

systemctl unmask removes the mask from one or more systemd units, making them startable again. Masking a unit links its unit file to `/dev/null`, which makes the unit completely unstartable (manually or as a dependency); unmasking removes that symlink and restores the original unit file.If the unit was previously masked at runtime (with `--runtime`), it can only be unmasked at runtime. Unmasking does not automatically start the unit — pair with `--now` to start immediately after unmasking.

PARAMETERS

UNIT

One or more unit names (e.g. `nginx.service`, `getty@tty1.service`) to unmask.

--now

Also start the unit(s) after unmasking.

--user

Operate on the calling user's units instead of system units.

--system

Operate on system units (default).

--global

Unmask for all users (enabled in `/etc/systemd/user/`).

--runtime

Apply changes only for the current boot; reset on reboot.

--no-block

Do not wait for the start job (with `--now`) to finish before returning.

-q, --quiet

Suppress informational messages.

CAVEATS

Unmasking a unit does not start it unless `--now` is given. If a unit was masked at runtime it can only be unmasked with `--runtime`; persistent masks require unmasking without `--runtime`. After unmasking, `systemctl daemon-reload` may be needed for the manager to pick up the restored unit file. Units masked via drop-in files instead of symlinks must be unmasked by editing or removing those files.

HISTORY

systemctl unmask is part of systemd, introduced by Lennart Poettering and others. Mask/unmask semantics were added to replace the older `/dev/null` symlink trick used with SysV init scripts.