uptime - macOS

Overview

The uptime command provides information about the uptime of the macOS system. It displays the amount of time that the computer has been running continuously since its last boot.

Syntax

uptime [options]

Options/Flags

  • -s: Display the uptime in seconds instead of the default human-readable format.
  • -p: Display the uptime in a portable format suitable for scripts or other programs.

Examples

Simple usage:

uptime

Output:

10:23 up 1 day, 5:23, 3 users, load averages: 0.37 0.46 0.42

Display uptime in seconds:

uptime -s

Output:

89819

Display uptime in portable format:

uptime -p

Output:

1 day 5 hours 23 minutes

Common Issues

Incorrect uptime value: If the displayed uptime appears incorrect, it may be due to a system restart or a problem with the system clock. Check the system logs or use the systemsetup command to verify the system time.

Integration

The uptime command can be used in conjunction with other commands to gather additional system information. For example:

uptime && date

Output:

10:23 up 1 day, 5:23, 3 users, load averages: 0.37 0.46 0.42
Sat Feb 11 15:23:05 PST 2023
  • who: Displays information about logged-in users.
  • top: Displays a real-time view of the running processes.
  • ps: Displays a snapshot of the running processes at a specific point in time.