`uptime` command

Show how long the system has been running and the load average.

System information
Package procps
2 options · 4 examples

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On this page

Syntax
Common options
Examples
Tips
Guides
Related commands

Syntax

uptime [options]

Provided by the procps package. Run man uptime for the full manual.

Common options

Option	What it does
`-p`	Pretty format: "up 3 days, 4 hours"
`-s`	Time the system booted

Examples

Uptime and load
```
uptime
```
Pretty format
```
uptime -p
```
Boot time
```
uptime -s
```
Reboot history
```
last reboot | head
```

Tips

The three load numbers are 1, 5 and 15-minute averages; compare them with your CPU count (nproc).

uptime guides

A Quick Reference Guide to Uptime Command in Linux Linux Commands · Updated Apr 2025
How to Check System Uptime in Linux Linux · Updated Apr 2025

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