instantwmctl

instantwmctl is the command-line control tool for instantWM. It allows you to manage windows, tags, layouts, and other settings at runtime.

Usage

instantwmctl [command]

General Commands

Command	Description
instantwmctl status	Show status information about the running instantWM instance
instantwmctl reload	Reload configuration from disk
instantwmctl spawn "command"	Spawn a command
instantwmctl warp-focus	Warp cursor to the focused window
instantwmctl update-status "text"	Update status bar text
instantwmctl wallpaper /path/to/image	Set wallpaper

Window Management

Command	Description
instantwmctl window list	List all managed windows
instantwmctl window geom	Get geometry of focused window
instantwmctl window close	Close focused window
instantwmctl window close <window-id>	Close specific window

Tag/Workspace Management

Command	Description
instantwmctl tag	Switch to tag 2 (default)
instantwmctl tag <number>	Switch to tag number (1-8)
instantwmctl tag name <name>	Rename current tag
instantwmctl tag reset	Reset all tag names to defaults

Layout Management

Command	Description
instantwmctl layout	Switch to tile layout
instantwmctl layout <number>	Switch to layout by index

Layout indices:

• 0 = Tile
• 1 = Grid
• 2 = Floating
• 3 = Monocle
• 4 = Vert
• 5 = Deck
• 6 = Overview
• 7 = Bstack
• 8 = Horiz

Monitor Management

Command	Description
instantwmctl monitor list	List all monitors
instantwmctl monitor switch <index>	Switch to monitor by index
instantwmctl monitor next	Switch to next monitor
instantwmctl monitor prev	Switch to previous monitor
instantwmctl monitor set -r 1920x1080 -f 144	Configure monitor
instantwmctl monitor set --enable	Enable monitor
instantwmctl monitor set --disable	Disable monitor

Monitor set options:

• -r, --res - Resolution (e.g., "1920x1080")
• -f, --rate - Refresh rate in Hz
• -p, --pos - Position (e.g., "1920,0")
• -s, --scale - Scale factor

Window Movement

Command	Description
instantwmctl tagmon	Move window to next monitor
instantwmctl tagmon -1	Move window to previous monitor
instantwmctl followmon	Move window to next monitor and follow
instantwmctl followmon -1	Move window to previous monitor and follow

Toggle Features

Command	Description
instantwmctl toggle animated	Toggle window animations
instantwmctl toggle focus-follows-mouse	Toggle focus follows mouse
instantwmctl toggle focus-follows-float-mouse	Toggle focus follows mouse for floating windows
instantwmctl toggle alt-tab	Toggle alt-tab mode
instantwmctl toggle alt-tag	Toggle alt-tag mode
instantwmctl toggle hide-tags	Toggle hide tags

Toggle actions can take additional arguments:

• instantwmctl toggle animated enable - Enable
• instantwmctl toggle animated disable - Disable
• instantwmctl toggle animated - Toggle

Border and Prefix

Command	Description
instantwmctl border <width>	Set border width in pixels
instantwmctl prefix	Enable prefix mode
instantwmctl prefix 0	Disable prefix mode
instantwmctl special-next	Enable special next mode for cycling
instantwmctl special-next 0	Disable special next mode

Keyboard Layout

Command	Description
instantwmctl keyboard list	List configured layouts
instantwmctl keyboard list --all	List all available XKB layouts
instantwmctl keyboard status	Show current keyboard layout
instantwmctl keyboard next	Switch to next keyboard layout
instantwmctl keyboard prev	Switch to previous keyboard layout
instantwmctl keyboard set us de fr	Set keyboard layouts
instantwmctl keyboard add <layout>	Add keyboard layout
instantwmctl keyboard remove <layout>	Remove keyboard layout

Layouts can include variants: de(nodeadkeys), us(intl), etc.

Scratchpad

Command	Description
instantwmctl scratchpad list	List all scratchpads
instantwmctl scratchpad status	Show scratchpad visibility
instantwmctl scratchpad show <name>	Show scratchpad
instantwmctl scratchpad hide <name>	Hide scratchpad
instantwmctl scratchpad toggle	Toggle default scratchpad
instantwmctl scratchpad toggle <name>	Toggle named scratchpad
instantwmctl scratchpad create	Create scratchpad from focused window
instantwmctl scratchpad create <name>	Create named scratchpad
instantwmctl scratchpad delete	Delete scratchpad from focused window

Input Devices (Mouse/Touchpad)

Command	Description
instantwmctl mouse list	List input device configuration
instantwmctl mouse list "type:touchpad"	List touchpad configuration
instantwmctl mouse pointer-accel "type:touchpad" 0.5	Set pointer acceleration
instantwmctl mouse accel-profile "type:touchpad" flat	Set acceleration profile
instantwmctl mouse tap "type:touchpad" enabled	Enable tap-to-click
instantwmctl mouse natural-scroll "type:touchpad" enabled	Enable natural scrolling
instantwmctl mouse scroll-factor "type:touchpad" 2.0	Set scroll factor

Valid identifiers: type:touchpad, type:pointer, type:keyboard, or * for all devices.

Modes

Command	Description
instantwmctl mode list	List all configured modes
instantwmctl mode set <name>	Enter a mode
instantwmctl mode set default	Exit current mode

See Configuration for creating custom modes.

Actions

You can run any keybinding action directly:

# List all available actions
instantwmctl action --list

# Run a named action
instantwmctl action zoom
instantwmctl action kill
instantwmctl action toggle_bar

# Run action with arguments
instantwmctl action set_layout tile
instantwmctl action inc_nmaster 2
instantwmctl action set_mfact 0.1

Examples

# Open a program
instantwmctl spawn "firefox"

# Switch to workspace 3
instantwmctl tag 3

# Toggle animations
instantwmctl toggle animated

# Change layout to grid
instantwmctl layout 1

# Enable tap-to-click on touchpad
instantwmctl mouse tap "type:touchpad" enabled

# Add a keyboard layout
instantwmctl keyboard add "fr"

# Make current window a scratchpad
instantwmctl scratchpad create "myterm"

# Set wallpaper
instantwmctl wallpaper ~/Pictures/wallpaper.png