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btop lets you change its dashboard arrangement, color output, and refresh cadence either from its interactive interface or by editing the persistent btop.conf file. The configuration lives in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/btop when $XDG_CONFIG_HOME is set; otherwise it is in $HOME/.config/btop. Use presets and shown_boxes for layout, color_theme plus the color-mode settings for appearance, and update_ms for refresh timing. Command-line switches such as --preset, --themes-dir, and --update let you test a choice at startup without first rewriting the file.
Choose between the UI and the configuration file
Every option covered here can be changed through btop’s own user interface. That is the safest way to explore a setting because you can see the result immediately. btop also writes persistent choices to btop.conf, so direct editing is useful when you want a repeatable setup, need to copy a configuration to another machine, or want to keep several layouts ready.
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The upstream README documents the file format, themes, color modes, and refresh setting at github.com/aristocratos/btop/blob/main/README.md. Startup switches are documented in the project’s man page, dated 2025-05-01, at github.com/aristocratos/btop/blob/main/manpage.md.
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Find the file btop actually uses
- Check whether the environment variable
XDG_CONFIG_HOMEis set. - If it is set, look for
btop/btop.confbelow that directory. - If it is not set, use
$HOME/.config/btop/btop.conf. - Make a backup before hand-editing:
cp btop.conf btop.conf.backupfrom the directory that contains the file.
If btop has not created the file yet, change an option in the UI and exit normally, then check the appropriate directory. Editing the generated file preserves the same setting model as the UI; do not create a second configuration in an unrelated directory and expect btop to read it.
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Arrange the dashboard with presets
Layout customization has two separate controls. presets describes arrangements of boxes, while shown_boxes decides which box types are available to display. Changing one does not automatically rewrite the other.
Understand the preset model
The upstream configuration comments define preset entries as a comma-separated sequence using box_name:P:G. In that form:
box_nameidentifies the box, such ascpu,mem,net,proc, or one ofgpu0throughgpu5.Pselects one of two alternate positions for that box.Gselects the graph symbol used by that box.
Whitespace separates one preset definition from the next. Keep each individual definition comma-separated and keep the position and graph fields attached to the box name with colons. The exact graph characters are represented by the configuration’s documented symbols; copy those symbols from the comments in your generated file rather than substituting arbitrary punctuation.
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Control which boxes can appear
Use shown_boxes when the problem is not placement but clutter. Its documented names include:
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cpufor processor informationmemfor memory informationnetfor network informationprocfor the process listgpu0throughgpu5for GPU boxes
Think of shown_boxes as the inventory and presets as the floor plan. If a box is absent from shown_boxes, changing its position in a preset cannot make it appear. Conversely, leaving every box enabled can produce a busy display even when the arrangement itself is orderly.
Make a persistent layout change
- Open btop’s configuration controls and adjust the visible boxes or their arrangement.
- Exit in the normal way so btop writes the change to
btop.conf. - Reopen the file in a text editor and confirm that the relevant
presetsorshown_boxesline changed. - Keep the backup until the new arrangement starts reliably.
For a hand edit, preserve the existing option names and separators. A safe workflow is to alter one line, start btop, and verify the result before making another change. If the display falls back to an unexpected arrangement, restore the backup and reapply the edits one at a time.
Try a layout only for one launch
Use the startup preset switch when you want to compare arrangements without changing the saved configuration:
btop --preset 3The short form is -p 3. Replace 3 with an ID from 0 through 9. This is useful for testing a compact workstation layout, a monitoring layout with every box enabled, or a GPU-focused view while leaving your normal startup choice untouched.
Choose a theme and adapt it to your terminal
The palette and the terminal’s color capability are related but distinct. Set color_theme to choose a named theme; then use truecolor or a lower-color mode to match what your terminal can render.
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Use built-in or custom themes
The README identifies Default and TTY as built-in themes. It also describes separate system and user theme directories. A custom theme can be supplied with --themes-dir; according to the man page, that directory takes priority over btop’s normal theme search paths.
btop --themes-dir /path/to/themesThis switch is a startup choice, not a replacement for selecting color_theme. Put the theme file in the directory you intend to search, then select its name through the UI or the color_theme option. Keeping third-party or locally edited themes in a dedicated directory makes it easier to test them without overwriting the built-in files.
Know the limits of cross-project themes
btop uses the same theme-file family as bpytop and bashtop. Compatibility is not complete in every case: the README notes that some color values are missing in bashtop themes. A theme may therefore load while leaving particular interface elements at defaults. If a converted theme looks partly correct, compare its available color entries with a btop-generated theme instead of assuming that every color has a one-to-one equivalent.
Match color output to terminal capabilities
| Mode | How to select it | Terminal requirement and behavior | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24-bit truecolor | truecolor = true (the default) |
Uses 24-bit colors for the richest palette. | Use when your terminal supports truecolor and you want the closest rendering of a theme. |
| 256-color conversion | Set truecolor = false, or start with --low-color. |
Converts 24-bit theme colors to a 256-color palette. | Use on terminals that do not render truecolor correctly but do support 256 colors. |
| TTY mode | Start with --tty. |
Forces 16 colors and TTY-friendly graph symbols. | Use for constrained TTY sessions where broad terminal features are unavailable. |
The project describes 24-bit truecolor as the best experience and supports 256-color terminals through conversion. The practical test is visual: if gradients, labels, or graph colors look wrong, try --low-color; if you are working on a plain console or serial-style session, try --tty.
Set a theme permanently
- Choose a theme name in btop’s UI, or edit the
color_themeline inbtop.conf. - Leave
truecolorenabled when your terminal displays the theme accurately. - Set
truecolor = falsewhen the terminal is limited to 256 colors. - Restart btop and check both text legibility and graph distinctions, not just the background color.
Theme selection and color-depth selection should be diagnosed separately. A poor-looking display can result from a missing theme entry, an unsupported color depth, or TTY constraints; changing the theme name alone will not fix every case.
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Use command-line color overrides for troubleshooting
Command-line modes are useful when you do not want to edit the file yet:
btop --low-color
btop --ttyIf one of these renders correctly, move the equivalent choice into the configuration only after confirming that it suits your normal terminal. The switches affect that launch, so they are convenient for remote sessions, recovery, and quick comparisons.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Set the update interval in milliseconds
update_ms controls how often btop refreshes its display, and the unit is milliseconds. The official configuration example uses 2000 and recommends 2000 ms or above for better graph sample times.
| Setting | Meaning | Use case |
|---|---|---|
update_ms = 2000 |
Refresh every 2,000 milliseconds (2 seconds). | The project’s documented example and recommendation for better graph sampling. |
update_ms = 5000 |
Refresh every 5,000 milliseconds (5 seconds). | A slower monitoring view when minute-to-minute changes matter more than rapid updates. |
update_ms = 1000 |
Refresh every 1,000 milliseconds (1 second). | A more frequently updated display; the project’s recommendation still favors 2,000 ms or above for graph sample times. |
The table illustrates the unit and trade-off, not a benchmark. The official material does not publish measured CPU, battery, or terminal-performance differences for particular intervals. Choose the shortest interval that gives you useful visibility, and remember that the documented guidance is 2,000 ms or higher for graph sampling.
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Persist the interval in btop.conf
- Open the configuration file in the path determined by
XDG_CONFIG_HOMEorHOME. - Find the
update_msoption. - Enter the interval as an integer number of milliseconds, for example
update_ms = 2000. - Save the file and restart btop so the setting is loaded cleanly.
Override it for one run
Use --update (or -u) followed by the interval in milliseconds:
btop --update 5000
btop -u 1000This startup override lets you compare sampling behavior without replacing the saved value. Once you have chosen an interval, put that value in update_ms if you want it to apply to every future launch.
Combine layout, theme, and timing in a repeatable workflow
Changing several options at once makes it difficult to tell which edit caused a problem. Use a staged workflow instead:
- Back up the file. Copy
btop.confbefore editing. - Establish the box inventory. Set
shown_boxesto the CPU, memory, network, process, and GPU boxes you actually need. - Arrange the inventory. Edit or create a
presetsdefinition using the documentedbox_name:P:Gformat. - Choose the palette. Set
color_themetoDefault,TTY, or the name of a custom theme. - Match color depth. Keep
truecolor = truefor a capable terminal; otherwise usetruecolor = false,--low-color, or--ttyas appropriate. - Set sampling. Put an integer millisecond value in
update_ms, starting with the documented 2,000 ms recommendation. - Test each launch. Use
--preset,--themes-dir, and--updateto test alternatives without immediately changing persistent settings. - Keep the working file. Once the display is correct, retain the backup and copy the finished configuration if you need the same setup elsewhere.
Troubleshoot common customization problems
The layout ignores a box change
- Check whether the box name is present in
shown_boxes. A preset cannot display a box excluded from that list. - Check the preset entry’s spelling and its comma/colon separators.
- Test with
btop --preset 0. Preset 0 always shows all boxes with default settings, which helps distinguish an inventory problem from a custom arrangement problem.
A custom theme loads with missing colors
- Confirm that
color_themematches the theme file’s name. - If you used a custom location, launch with
--themes-dir /path/to/themes; that directory has priority over normal search paths. - Remember that bashtop theme files can lack color values expected by btop. Missing entries may remain at defaults rather than indicating a layout failure.
Colors look washed out or incorrect
- Try
--low-colorto convert the theme to 256 colors. - For a 16-color TTY, use
--tty, which also selects TTY-friendly graph symbols. - If truecolor is supported and the theme is complete, set
truecolor = trueand restart.
The refresh value behaves unexpectedly
- Verify that
update_msis expressed in milliseconds, not seconds. - Check for a launch command containing
--updateor-u; that one-run override takes precedence for that session. - Use 2,000 ms or more when graph sample quality is the priority, as recommended in the official configuration example.
Useful command combinations
These examples combine the documented startup controls without changing the saved file:
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btop --preset 2 --update 2000
# Test a custom theme directory with 256-color conversion
btop --themes-dir /path/to/themes --low-color
# Run a constrained 16-color session
btop --ttyUse absolute or shell-resolvable paths for --themes-dir. If a command works only with a flag, decide whether that limitation is temporary (for example, a remote TTY) or permanent enough to encode in btop.conf.
Quick Recap
What to remember
presetscontrols box placement and graph choices;shown_boxescontrols which boxes are included.- Preset 0 is the all-boxes default, and
--presetaccepts IDs 0 through 9. color_themeselects the palette;truecolor,--low-color, and--ttyadapt it to terminal capabilities.update_msis measured in milliseconds. The upstream example uses 2,000 ms and recommends at least that interval for better graph sample times.- The UI is sufficient for normal changes, while
btop.confis the persistent, portable way to reproduce a setup.
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