I3BAR(1) i3 Manual I3BAR(1)

i3bar - xcb-based status- and workspace-bar

i3bar [-b bar_id] [-s sock_path] [-t] [-h] [-v] [-V]

i3bar will automatically be invoked by i3 for every bar configuration block.

Starting it manually is usually not what you want to do.

You have been warned!

-s, --socket sock_path

Overwrites the path to the i3 IPC socket.

-b, --bar_id bar_id

Specifies the bar ID for which to get the configuration from i3. By default, i3bar will use the first bar block as configured in i3.

-t, --transparency

Enable transparency (RGBA colors)

-h, --help

Display a short help-message and exit

-v, --version

Display version number and exit.

-V

Be verbose.

i3bar displays a bar at the bottom (or top) of your monitor(s) containing workspace switching buttons and a statusline generated by i3status(1) or similar. It is automatically invoked (and configured through) i3.

i3bar supports using a JSON protocol for setting the status line, see https://i3wm.org/docs/i3bar-protocol.html

Since i3 4.23, i3bar supports another JSON protocol for setting workspace buttons. See https://i3wm.org/docs/i3bar-workspace-protocol.html.

Used as a fallback for the i3 IPC socket path if neither the commandline contains an argument nor the I3_SOCKET_PATH property is set on the X11 root window.

Nothing to see here, move along. As stated above, you should not run i3bar manually.

Instead, see the i3 documentation, especially the User’s Guide.

i3status(1), j4status(1) or conky(1) for programs generating a statusline.

dzen2(1) or xmobar(1) for similar programs to i3bar.

Axel Wagner and contributors

02/06/2026 i3 4.25.1