How to reload tmux configuration?
Quick Answer
To reload your tmux configuration, use tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf from the command line, or Ctrl+b followed by :source-file ~/.tmux.conf from within tmux.
$ tmux source-file ~/.tmux.confDetailed Explanation
After making changes to your tmux configuration file, you need to reload it for the changes to take effect. There are several ways to reload your tmux configuration without restarting tmux or your sessions.
From outside tmux:
tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf- Reload config filetmux source ~/.tmux.conf- Shorter version
From within tmux:
- Press
Ctrl+bto enter command mode - Type
:source-file ~/.tmux.confand press Enter
Add a keyboard shortcut for reloading:
Add this line to your ~/.tmux.conf file:
bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Config reloaded!"
With this configuration, you can reload your config by pressing Ctrl+b followed by r.
Note on Settings
Some settings, particularly those related to the server or core functionality, may require restarting tmux completely to take effect. Most window, pane, and key binding changes will apply immediately after reloading.
Pro Tip
To verify your configuration has no errors before loading it, run tmux -f ~/.tmux.conf new -d which will attempt to start a detached session with your config and exit with an error if there are any issues.