Command line options

Updated 4 years ago
This page shows old instructions for MuseScore 1.
For MuseScore 4 users, see Command line options.

This page is a duplicate of Command line options in the MuseScore 2 Handbook (actually the other way round), which is outdated and wrong. A more complete and correct version is in Command line options of the MuseScore 3 handbook

You can launch MuseScore from the command line by typing

mscore <options> <filename>

<options> and <filename> are optional.

The following options are available

-v
Displays the current version and revision numbers for MuseScore (Linux only)
-d
Starts MuseScore in debug mode
-D
Enables the plugin script debugger
-s
Disables the integrated software synthesizer
-m
Disables MIDI input
-n
Starts with the new score wizard regardless of preference setting for start mode (0.9.6 or later)
-L
Starts MuseScore in debug layout mode
-I
Displays all MIDI input on the console
-O
Displays all MIDI output on the console
-o <filename>
Exports the currently opened file to the specified <filename>. The file type depends on the filename extension. This option switches to the "converter" mode and avoids any graphical interface. You can also add a filename before the -o if you want to import and export files from the command line. For example mscore "My Score.mscz" -o "My Score.pdf"
-r <dpi>
Determines the output resolution for the output to "*.png" files in the converter mode. The default resolution is 300 dpi
-S <style>
Loads a style file; useful when you convert with the -o option
-p <name>
execute named plugin
-F
Use only the standard built-in presets or "factory-settings". For details, see Revert to factory settings
-e
Enable experimental features
-i
Load icons from the file system. Useful if you want to edit the MuseScore icons and preview the changes
-w
writeWorkspaceFile and converterMode
-c <pathname>
set config path
-t
enable Test Mode
-a <driver>
use audio driver: jack alsa pulse portaudio

Qt Toolkit Options

-style = style
Determines the style of the GUI application. Possible values are "motif", "windows" and "platinum". Depending on the platform other styles may be available
-style style
As above
-stylesheet = ss
Sets the application stylesheet. The value of "ss" is a path to a file that contains the stylesheet
-stylesheet ss
As above