This document lists the available command line switches for the UNIX and Windows platforms.
This document was last updated for Opera 9.1.
Note: UNIX command line switches are case sensitive. They use the prefix ‘-’. Example: to launch Opera without home page or saved sessions, enter opera -nosession on the command line. The full list of command line switches is given below, and may be recalled at any time by entering opera -help on the command line.
| newwindow | Open URL in new window |
| newpage | Open URL in new tab |
| backgroundpage | Open URL in new tab in background |
| fullscreen | Start in full screen mode. Works only if no Opera instances are already running |
| iconic | Start in iconic mode |
| geometry <geometry> | Set geometry of toplevel window. Format: WIDTHxHEIGHT+XOFF+YOFF |
| remote "<command>" | Send command to another Opera window |
| noraise | No window raise when receiving remote commands. Only works for remote commands that do not open a dialog box |
| window <window id> | Launch remote opera window. Works for ‘remote’ and ‘newwindow’ commands |
| windowname <window name> | Launch remote opera window with a symbolic name. Works for ‘remote’ and ‘newwindow’ commands, will override ‘newwindow’ if a named window is located |
| restore | Restore default interface |
| nosession | Launch without saved sessions or home page |
| nowin | Launch without any open pages. Will disable any URL argument |
| nomail | Launch Opera without internal e-mail client |
| language <file> | Use translation from specified file |
| binarydir <path> | Location of version specific binaries |
| personaldir <path> | Location of alternative ‘.opera’ directory |
| display <displayname> | Set the X display |
| fn <font> | Set the normal text font |
| bg <color> | Set the background color |
| fg <color> | Set the foreground color |
| visual TrueColor | Use TrueColor visual on an 8-bit display |
| cmap | Use private color map on an 8-bit display |
| smallicon | Use a smaller icon image |
| notrayicon | Do not show an opera icon in system tray |
| debugdns | Simple debugging of asynchronous dns lookup |
| debugfont | Simple debugging of font handling |
| debugjava | Simple debugging of Java |
| debugkeyboard | Simple debugging of keyboard events |
| debugmouse | Simple debugging of mouse presses |
| debugplugin | Simple debugging of plug-in handling |
| debugxerror | Simple debugging of X errors |
| disableinputmethods | Disable input methods |
| restoreextensions | Restore default file type extensions |
| postfix <name> | Append name to WM_CLASS and WM_WINDOW_ROLE |
| version | Display version number |
| full-version | Display version data and build details |
| kioskhelp | Display extra settings for kiosk mode operation |
| help or h | Display list of command line options |
Note: A standalone URL argument or any of the switches ‘newwindow’, ‘newpage’, ‘backgroundpage’ or ‘nowin’ will disable ‘remote’ commands.
Note: The following Windows command line switches are case insensitive. Example usage to search for the planet Jupiter: opera.exe ? jupiter
| /Settings <full path> | Launch with specified settings (opera6.ini) file |
| ? <keywords> | Search for <keywords> with default search engine |
| /Debug | Voice debug mode |
Kiosk mode switches are identical for the Windows, Mac OS X, and UNIX platforms. See the kiosk mode documentation for more details. To review the kiosk mode switches, enter opera -kioskhelp on the command line.
All remote commands must be enclosed in quotation marks, for example:
opera -remote "openURL()"
| openURL() | Open "Go to" dialog box prompting for input |
| openURL(url) | Open URL in active window |
| openURL(url,new-window) | Open URL in new window |
| openURL(url,new-page) | Open URL in new tab |
| openURL(url,background-page) | Open URL in new tab in background |
| openFile() | Open file selector dialog box |
| openFile(new-window) | Open file selector dialog box in new window |
| openFile(new-page) | Open file selector dialog box in new tab |
| openM2() | Open M2 list view |
| openM2(new-window) | Open M2 list view in new window |
| openComposer() | Open M2 composer window |
| openComposer(new-window) | Open M2 composer window in new window |
| addBookmark(url) | Add URL to bookmark list |
| raise() | Raises the opera window |
| lower() | Lowers the opera window |
Need help? Hit F1 anytime while using Opera to access our online help files, or go here.