Provided by: zathura_0.5.12-3_amd64 
NAME
zathurarc - zathura configuration file
SYNOPSIS
/etc/zathurarc, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/zathura/zathurarc
DESCRIPTION
The zathurarc file is a simple plain text file that can be populated with various commands to change the
behaviour and the look of zathura which we are going to describe in the following subsections. Each line
(besides empty lines and comments (which start with a prepended #) is evaluated on its own, so it is not
possible to write multiple commands in one single line.
COMMANDS
set - Changing options
In addition to the built-in :set command zathura offers more options to be changed and makes those
changes permanent. To overwrite an option you just have to add a line structured like the following
set <option> <new value>
The option field has to be replaced with the name of the option that should be changed and the new value
field has to be replaced with the new value the option should get. The type of the value can be one of
the following:
• INT - An integer number
• FLOAT - A floating point number
• STRING - A character string
• BOOL - A boolean value ("true" for true, "false" for false)
In addition we advice you to check the options to get a more detailed view of the options that can be
changed and which values they should be set to.
The following example should give some deeper insight of how the set command can be used
set option1 5
set option2 2.0
set option3 hello
set option4 hello\ world
set option5 "hello world"
Especially for options with strings as values, note that escaping of special characters and white spaces
is necessary. In the above example, option4 and option5 are both set to hello world, but set option6
hello world would set option6 only to hello.
For colors, zathura supports HTML color codes and CSS3-style rgb(r,g,b) and rgba(r,g,b,a) values. If you
want to use color codes for some options, make sure to quote them accordingly or to escape the hash
symbol.
set default-fg "#CCBBCC"
set default-fg \#CCBBCC
For rgba, note that it parses the color components as integers between 0 and 255 and the alpha component
as float between 0 and 1.
include - Including another config file
This commands allows one to include other configuration files. If a relative path is given, the path will
be resolved relative to the configuration file that is currently processed.
include another-config
map - Mapping a shortcut
It is possible to map or remap new key bindings to shortcut functions which allows a high level of
customization. The :map command can also be used in the zathurarc file to make those changes permanent:
map [mode] <binding> <shortcut function> <argument>
Mode The map command expects several arguments where only the binding as well as the shortcut-function
argument is required. Since zathura uses several modes it is possible to map bindings only for a
specific mode by passing the mode argument which can take one of the following values:
• normal (default)
• fullscreen
• presentation
• index
The brackets around the value are mandatory.
Single key binding
The (possible) second argument defines the used key binding that should be mapped to the shortcut
function and is structured like the following. On the one hand it is possible to just assign
single letters, numbers or signs to it:
map a shortcut_function optional_argument
map b shortcut_function optional_argument
map c shortcut_function optional_argument
map 1 shortcut_function optional_argument
map 2 shortcut_function optional_argument
map 3 shortcut_function optional_argument
map ! shortcut_function optional_argument
map ? shortcut_function optional_argument
Using modifiers
It is also possible to use modifiers like the Control or Alt button on the keyboard. It is
possible to use the following modifiers:
• A - Alt
• C - Control
• S - Shift
If any of the modifiers should be used for a binding, it is required to define the binding with
the following structure:
map <A-a> shortcut_function
map <C-a> shortcut_function
Special keys
zathura allows it also to assign keys like the space bar or the tab button which also have to be
written in between angle brackets. The following special keys are currently available:
Identifier Description
BackSpace Back space
CapsLock Caps lock
NumLock Num Lock
ScrollLock Scroll Lock
Esc Escape
Down Arrow down
Up Arrow up
Left Arrow left
Right Arrow right
F1 F1
F2 F2
F3 F3
F4 F4
F5 F5
F6 F6
F7 F7
F8 F8
F9 F9
F10 F10
F11 F11
F12 F12
PageDown Page Down
PageUp Page Up
Return Return
Space Space
Super Windows key
Tab Tab
Print Print key
KPUp Numpad Up (where the number 8 is)
KPDown Numpad Down (where the number 2 is)
KPLeft Numpad Left (where the number 4 is)
KPRight Numpad Right (where the number 6 is)
KPBegin Numpad Center button (where the number 5 is)
KPPrior Numpad PageUp (where the number 9 is)
KPPageUp Numpad PageUp (where the number 9 is)
KPNext Numpad PageDown (where the number 3 is)
KPPageDown Numpad PageDown (where the number 3 is)
KPHome Numpad Home (where the number 7 is)
KPEnd Numpad End (where the number 1 is)
KPInsert Numpad Insert (where the number 0 is)
KPDelete Numpad Delete (where the numpad period is)
KPMultiply Numpad Asterisk
KPAdd Numpad Plus sign
KPSubtract Numpad Minus sign
KPDivide Numpad Slash sign
Of course it is possible to combine those special keys with a modifier. The usage of those keys
should be explained by the following examples:
map <Space> shortcut_function
map <C-Space> shortcut_function
Mouse buttons
It is also possible to map mouse buttons to shortcuts by using the following special keys:
Identifier Description
Button1 Mouse button 1 (left)
Button2 Mouse button 2 (right)
Button3 Mouse button 3 (middle)
Button4 Mouse button 4
Button5 Mouse button 5
They can also be combined with modifiers:
map <Button1> shortcut_function
map <C-Button1> shortcut_function
Buffer commands
If a mapping does not match one of the previous definition but is still a valid mapping it will be
mapped as a buffer command:
map abc quit
map test quit
Shortcut functions
The following shortcut functions can be mapped:
• abort
Switch back to normal mode.
• adjust_window
Adjust page width. Possible arguments are best-fit and width.
• change_mode
Change current mode. Pass the desired mode as argument.
• cycle_first_column
In multiple page layout, cycle the column in which the first page is displayed.
• display_link:
Display link target.
• exec:
Execute an external command. $FILE expands to the current document path, $PAGE to the current
page number, and $DBUS to the bus name of the D-Bus interface.
• file_chooser:
Open a File Chooser Dialog. Uses the native file chooser on Windows and MacOS, desktop portals
when available and otherwise GtkFileChooser.
• focus_inputbar
Focus inputbar.
• follow
Follow a link.
• goto
Go to a certain page.
• jumplist
Move forwards/backwards in the jumplist. Pass forward as argument to move to the next entry and
backward to move to the previous one.
• navigate
Navigate to the next/previous page.
• navigate_index
Navigate through the index.
• print
Show the print dialog.
• quit
Quit zathura.
• recolor
Recolor pages.
• reload
Reload the document.
• rotate
Rotate the page. Pass rotate-ccw as argument for counterclockwise rotation and rotate-cw for
clockwise rotation.
• scroll
Scroll.
• search
Search next/previous item. Pass forward as argument to search for the next hit and backward to
search for the previous hit.
• set
Set an option.
• snap_to_page
Snaps to the current page. Equivalent to goto <current_page>
• toggle_fullscreen
Toggle fullscreen.
• toggle_index
Show or hide index.
• toggle_inputbar
Show or hide inputbar.
• toggle_page_mode
Toggle between one and multiple pages per row.
• toggle_statusbar
Show or hide statusbar.
• zoom
Zoom in or out.
• mark_add
Set a quickmark.
• mark_evaluate
Go to a quickmark.
• feedkeys
Simulate key presses. Note that all keys will be interpreted as if pressing a key on the
keyboard. To input uppercase letters, follow the same convention as for key bindings, i.e. for
X, use <S-X>.
Pass arguments
Some shortcut function require or have optional arguments which influence the behaviour of them.
Those can be passed as the last argument:
map <C-i> zoom in
map <C-o> zoom out
Possible arguments are:
• best-fit
• bottom
• backward
• collapse
• collapse-all
• default
• down
• expand
• expand-all
• forward
• full-down
• full-up
• half-down
• half-up
• in
• left
• next
• out
• page-bottom
• page-top
• previous
• right
• rotate-ccw
• rotate-cw
• select
• specific
• toggle
• top
• up
• width
unmap - Removing a shortcut
In addition to mapping or remaping custom key bindings it is possible to remove existing ones by using
the :unmap command. The command is used in the following way (the explanation of the parameters is
described in the map section of this document
unmap [mode] <binding>
OPTIONS
This section describes settings concerning the behaviour of girara and zathura. The settings described
here can be changed with set.
girara
n-completion-items
Defines the maximum number of displayed completion entries.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 15
completion-bg
Defines the background color that is used for command line completion entries
• Value type: String
• Default value: #232323
completion-fg
Defines the foreground color that is used for command line completion entries
• Value type: String
• Default value: #DDDDDD
completion-group-bg
Defines the background color that is used for command line completion group elements
• Value type: String
• Default value: #000000
completion-group-fg
Defines the foreground color that is used for command line completion group elements
• Value type: String
• Default value: #DEDEDE
completion-highlight-bg
Defines the background color that is used for the current command line completion element
• Value type: String
• Default value: #9FBC00
completion-highlight-fg
Defines the foreground color that is used for the current command line completion element
• Value type: String
• Default value: #232323
default-bg
Defines the default background color
• Value type: String
• Default value: #000000
default-fg
Defines the default foreground color
• Value type: String
• Default value: #DDDDDD
exec-command
Defines a command the should be prepended to any command run with exec.
• Value type: String
• Default value:
font Defines the font that will be used
• Value type: String
• Default value: monospace normal 9
guioptions
Shows or hides GUI elements. If it contains 'c', the command line is displayed. If it contains
's', the statusbar is displayed. If it contains 'h', the horizontal scrollbar is displayed. If
it contains 'v', the vertical scrollbar is displayed.
• Value type: String
• Default value: s
inputbar-bg
Defines the background color for the inputbar
• Value type: String
• Default value: #131313
inputbar-fg
Defines the foreground color for the inputbar
• Value type: String
• Default value: #9FBC00
notification-bg
Defines the background color for a notification
• Value type: String
• Default value: #FFFFFF
notification-fg
Defines the foreground color for a notification
• Value type: String
• Default value: #000000
notification-error-bg
Defines the background color for an error notification
• Value type: String
• Default value: #FF1212
notification-error-fg
Defines the foreground color for an error notification
• Value type: String
• Default value: #FFFFFF
notification-warning-bg
Defines the background color for a warning notification
• Value type: String
• Default value: #FFF712
notification-warning-fg
Defines the foreground color for a warning notification
• Value type: String
• Default value: #FFFFFF
statusbar-bg
Defines the background color of the statusbar
• Value type: String
• Default value: #000000
statusbar-fg
Defines the foreground color of the statusbar
• Value type: String
• Default value: #FFFFFF
statusbar-h-padding
Defines the horizontal padding of the statusbar and notificationbar
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 8
statusbar-v-padding
Defines the vertical padding of the statusbar and notificationbar
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 2
window-icon
Defines the path for a icon to be used as window icon.
• Value type: String
• Default value:
window-height
Defines the window height on startup
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 600
window-width
Defines the window width on startup
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 800
zathura
This section describes settings concerning the behaviour of zathura.
abort-clear-search
Defines if the search results should be cleared on abort.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
adjust-open
Defines which auto adjustment mode should be used if a document is loaded. Possible options are
"best-fit" and "width".
• Value type: String
• Default value: best-fit
advance-pages-per-row
Defines if the number of pages per row should be honored when advancing a page.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
continuous-hist-save
Tells zathura whether to save document history at each page change or only when closing a
document.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
database
Defines the database backend to use for bookmarks and input history. Possible values are "plain",
"sqlite" and "null". If "null" is used, bookmarks and input history will not be stored.
Note that the "plain" backend is deprecated. If selected, the "sqlite" backend will import old
history from the "plain" database and operation will continue with the "sqlite" backend. After the
first import, the setting can safely be changed to "sqlite". The default will change after a
release of Debian trixie.
• Value type: String
• Default value: plain
dbus-raise-window
Defines whether zathura's window should be raised when receiving certain commands via D-Bus.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
dbus-service
En/Disables the D-Bus service. If the services is disabled, SyncTeX forward synchronization is not
available.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
double-click-follow
Defines whether double or single click on a link should trigger follow.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
filemonitor
Defines the file monitor backend used to check for changes in files. Possible values are "glib",
"signal" (if signal handling is supported), and "noop". The "noop" file monitor does not trigger
reloads.
• Value type: String
• Default value: glib
first-page-column
Defines the column in which the first page will be displayed. This setting is stored separately
for every value of pages-per-row according to the following pattern <1 page per row>:[<2 pages per
row>[: ...]]. The last value in the list will be used for all other number of pages per row if not
set explicitly.
Per default, the first column is set to 2 for double-page layout, i.e. the value is set to 1:2. A
value of 1:1:3 would put the first page in dual-page layout in the first column, and for layouts
with more columns the first page would be put in the 3rd column.
• Value type: String
• Default value: 1:2
highlight-active-color
Defines the color that is used to show the current selected highlighted element (e.g: current
search result)
• Value type: String
• Default value: rgba(0,188,0,0.5)
highlight-color
Defines the color that is used for highlighting parts of the document (e.g.: show search results)
• Value type: String
• Default value: rgba(159,251,0,0.5)
highlight-fg
Defines the color that is used for text when highlighting parts of the document (e.g.: number for
links).
• Value type: String
• Default value: rgba(0,0,0,0.5)
highlighter-modifier
Defines the modifier that needs to be pressed together with the left mouse button to draw the
highlighter. Possible values are "shift", "ctrl" and "alt".
• Value type: String
• Default value: shift
incremental-search
En/Disables incremental search (search while typing).
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
index-active-bg
Define the background color of the selected element in index mode.
• Value type: String
• Default value: #9FBC00
index-active-fg
Defines the foreground color of the selected element in index mode.
• Value type: String
• Default value: #232323
index-bg
Define the background color of the index mode.
• Value type: String
• Default value: #232323
index-fg
Defines the foreground color of the index mode.
• Value type: String
• Default value: #DDDDDD
jumplist-size
Maximum number of positions to remember in the jumplist.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 2000
link-hadjust
En/Disables aligning to the left internal link targets, for example from the index.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
link-zoom
En/Disables the ability of changing zoom when following links.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
nohlsearch
Dis/Enables the highlighting of search results.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
open-first-page
Always open documents on the first page. If disabled, zathura will jump to the last remembered
position.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
page-cache-size
Defines the maximum number of pages that could be kept in the page cache. When the cache is full
and a new page that isn't cached becomes visible, the least recently viewed page in the cache will
be evicted to make room for the new one. Large values for this variable are NOT recommended,
because this will lead to consuming a significant portion of the system memory.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 15
page-padding
The page padding defines the gap in pixels between each rendered page.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 1
page-right-to-left
Defines whether pages in multi-column view should start from the right side.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
page-thumbnail-size
Defines the maximum size in pixels of the thumbnail that could be kept in the thumbnail cache per
page. The thumbnail is scaled for a quick preview during zooming before the page is rendered. When
the page is rendered, the result is saved as the thumbnail only if the size is no more than this
value. A larger value increases quality but introduces longer delay in zooming and uses more
system memory.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 4194304 (4M)
pages-per-row
Defines the number of pages that are rendered next to each other in a row.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 1
recolor
En/Disables recoloring
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
recolor-adjust-lightness
En/Disables adjusting lightness when recoloring.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
recolor-darkcolor
Defines the color value that is used to represent dark colors in recoloring mode
• Value type: String
• Default value: #FFFFFF
recolor-keephue
En/Disables keeping original hue when recoloring
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
recolor-lightcolor
Defines the color value that is used to represent light colors in recoloring mode
• Value type: String
• Default value: #000000
recolor-reverse-video
Defines if original image colors should be kept while recoloring.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
render-loading
Defines if the "Loading..." text should be displayed if a page is rendered.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
render-loading-bg
Defines the background color that is used for the "Loading..." text.
• Value type: String
• Default value: #FFFFFF
render-loading-fg
Defines the foreground color that is used for the "Loading..." text.
• Value type: String
• Default value: #000000
scroll-full-overlap
Defines the proportion of the current viewing area that should be visible after scrolling a full
page.
• Value type: Float
• Default value: 0
scroll-hstep
Defines the horizontal step size of scrolling by calling the scroll command once
• Value type: Float
• Default value: -1
scroll-step
Defines the step size of scrolling by calling the scroll command once
• Value type: Float
• Default value: 40
scroll-page-aware
Defines if scrolling by half or full pages stops at page boundaries.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
scroll-wrap
Defines if the last/first page should be wrapped
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
search-hadjust
En/Disables horizontally centered search results.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
selection-clipboard
Defines the X clipboard into which mouse-selected data will be written. When it is "clipboard",
selected data will be written to the CLIPBOARD clipboard, and can be pasted using the Ctrl+v key
combination. When it is "primary", selected data will be written to the PRIMARY clipboard, and
can be pasted using the middle mouse button, or the Shift-Insert key combination.
• Value type: String
• Default value: primary
selection-notification
Defines if a notification should be displayed after selecting text.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
signature-error-color
Defines the background color when displaying additional information for signatures with errors.
• Value type: String
• Default value: rgba(92%,11%,14%,0.9)
signature-success-color
Defines the background color when displaying additional information for valid signatures.
• Value type: String
• Default value: rgba(18%,80%,33%,0.9)
signature-warning-color
Defines the background color when displaying additional information for signatures with warnings.
• Value type: String
• Default value: rgba(100%,84%,0%,0.9)
show-directories
Defines if the directories should be displayed in completion.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
show-hidden
Defines if hidden files and directories should be displayed in completion.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
show-recent
Defines the number of recent files that should be displayed in completion. If the value is
negative, no upper bounds are applied. If the value is 0, no recent files are shown.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 10
show-signature-information
Defines whether additional information on signatures embedded in documents should be displayed.
• value type: Boolean
• Default value false
statusbar-basename
Use basename of the file in the statusbar.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
statusbar-home-tilde
Display a short version of the file path, which replaces $HOME with ~, in the statusbar.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
statusbar-page-percent
Display (current page / total pages) as a percent in the statusbar.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
synctex
En/Disables SyncTeX backward synchronization support.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: true
synctex-edit-modifier
Defines the modifier that needs to be pressed together with the left mouse button to trigger the
SyncTeX backward synchronization. Possible values are "shift", "ctrl" and "alt".
• Value type: String
• Default value: ctrl
synctex-editor-command
Defines the command executed for SyncTeX backward synchronization.
• Value type: String
• Default value:
vertical-center
Center the screen at the vertical midpoint of the page by default.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
window-icon-document
Defines whether the window document should be updated based on the first page of a dcument.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
window-title-basename
Use basename of the file in the window title.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
window-title-home-tilde
Display a short version of the file path, which replaces $HOME with ~, in the window title.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
window-title-page
Display the page number in the window title.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
zoom-center
En/Disables horizontally centered zooming.
• Value type: Boolean
• Default value: false
zoom-max
Defines the maximum percentage that the zoom level can be.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 1000
zoom-min
Defines the minimum percentage that the zoom level can be.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 10
zoom-step
Defines the amount of percent that is zoomed in or out on each command.
• Value type: Integer
• Default value: 10
SEE ALSO
zathura(1)
AUTHOR
pwmt.org
COPYRIGHT
2009-2018, pwmt.org
0.5.12 2025-07-03 ZATHURARC(5)