xset

Disable the screensaver

$ xset s off

$ xset b off

$ xset s 3600 3600

$ xset -dpms

$ xset +dpms

$ xset -display :[0] q

xset [options] [argument]

Common Usage Examples:
xset q
xset s 600 300
xset dpms force off
xset m 5 2
xset -b

q
    Queries and prints the current settings of all controllable aspects, including bell, keyboard, mouse, screen saver, and DPMS.

b [volume [pitch [duration]]]
    Controls the keyboard bell. volume (0-100), pitch (Hz), duration (ms). Use -b or b off to disable the bell, b on to enable it.

c [volume]
    Controls the key click. volume (0-100). Use -c or c off to disable key click, c on to enable it.

m [acceleration [threshold]]
    Controls mouse acceleration and threshold. acceleration is a multiplier (e.g., 2/1 for double speed), threshold is the number of pixels the mouse must move before acceleration begins.

s [timeout [blanking]]
    Controls the screen saver. timeout (seconds) before activation. blanking can be on (blank screen), off (no blanking), or prefer blanking. Use s on to enable, s off to disable, and s default to restore defaults.

fp [path]
    Sets the font search path. fp default restores the default path. fp+ [path] adds to the path, fp- [path] removes from the path.

r [keycode]
    Controls keyboard auto-repeat. r on enables auto-repeat for all keys. r off disables for all keys. r [keycode] disables auto-repeat for a specific keycode.

dpms [option]
    Controls Display Power Management Signaling (DPMS). Options include on (enable), off (disable), activate, deactivate, force standby|suspend|off, and setting timeouts (standby [suspend [off]] in seconds).

led [integer]
    Controls keyboard LEDs. led on [integer] turns on a specific LED (e.g., 3 for Caps Lock). led off [integer] turns off an LED.

xset is a utility for the X Window System that allows users to query and set various user preference options of the X server. It can control aspects like keyboard auto-repeat, bell volume and pitch, mouse acceleration and threshold, screen saver timeout and blanking, font search paths, and display power management (DPMS) settings.

xset is commonly used to customize the X environment for a user's session, often run from a user's ~/.xinitrc or ~/.xprofile script. It provides a command-line interface to configure options that might otherwise require graphical tools or direct server configuration, making it valuable for minimalist setups, scripting, or troubleshooting.

Changes made with xset are session-specific and will be lost when the X server restarts or the session ends. To make settings persistent, commands must be placed in startup scripts (e.g., ~/.xinitrc or desktop environment autostart). xset requires a running X server to function. Some settings might be overridden by modern desktop environments or display managers.

As xset changes are temporary, lasting only for the current X session, to make settings persistent across reboots or new sessions, the xset commands are typically placed in user startup scripts. Common locations include ~/.xinitrc (for users starting X with startx) or ~/.xprofile (often sourced by display managers like GDM, LightDM, SDDM).

It's important to distinguish between settings controlled by xset and settings configured via X resources. xset manages server-wide behaviors like mouse acceleration, screen saver, and bell characteristics. X resources (typically defined in ~/.Xresources or ~/.Xdefaults) are used by individual X applications to customize their appearance and behavior (e.g., font sizes, color schemes for terminals or text editors). xset does not manage X resources.

xset has been a fundamental part of the X Window System since its early days, providing command-line control over core X server user preferences. It predates many modern desktop environments and was crucial for users to customize their X server behavior directly from shell scripts. While graphical configuration tools in comprehensive desktop environments (like GNOME and KDE) now handle many of these settings, xset remains a valuable tool for minimalist setups, scripting automation, and troubleshooting scenarios where direct X server interaction is needed.

xrandr(1), xdpyinfo(1), xmodmap(1), xkbcomp(1), setxkbmap(1)