Arch Linux

developic

Member

Registered: 2026-02-11

Posts: 1

How to replace systemd-boot with GRUB?

What are the steps to remove systemd-boot and set GRUB as the default bootloader?

5hridhyan

Member

From: Asia

Registered: 2025-12-25

Posts: 507

Re: How to replace systemd-boot with GRUB?

Welcome to the forums, developic!
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GRUB

Last edited by 5hridhyan (2026-02-11 08:44:19)

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ReDress

Member

From: Nairobi

Registered: 2024-11-30

Posts: 239

Re: How to replace systemd-boot with GRUB?

First you have to disable systemd-boot. It's not required but necessary

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,694

Re: How to replace systemd-boot with GRUB?

First you have to disable systemd-boot. It's not required but necessary

No, you do not have to do any such thing.

ReDress

Member

From: Nairobi

Registered: 2024-11-30

Posts: 239

Re: How to replace systemd-boot with GRUB?

First you have to disable systemd-boot. It's not required but necessary

No, you do not have to do any such thing.

That's until you have to install bare constants there. Meh - Leanurt can go do that himself

zpg443

Member

Registered: 2016-12-03

Posts: 315

Re: How to replace systemd-boot with GRUB?

**Steps to switch from systemd-boot to GRUB (UEFI Arch Linux):**

1. Install packages 
   `sudo pacman -S grub efibootmgr os-prober` (add `grub-customizer` if desired)

2. Install GRUB to ESP 
   `sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB` 
   (adjust `--efi-directory=` if your ESP mounts elsewhere, e.g. `/efi` or `/boot/efi`)

3. Generate config 
   `sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg`

4. (Optional – for dual-boot) 
   Edit `/etc/default/grub` → set `GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false` 
   Then re-run `sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg`

5. Set GRUB as first boot entry (choose **one**): 
   - UEFI firmware → change boot order (move "GRUB" before "Linux Boot Manager") 
   - or CLI: `efibootmgr` → note numbers → `sudo efibootmgr -o XXXX,YYYY,...` (put GRUB first)

6. Reboot and verify

7. (Optional – clean up) 
   `sudo bootctl remove` 
   `sudo pacman -Rns systemd-boot`

Done.

noesoespanol

Member

Registered: 2026-03-30

Posts: 4

Re: How to replace systemd-boot with GRUB?

Just a side note, in case you didn't know, it is possible to use "both". Well, kind'a. I use both at the same time. systemd-boot for default because it's kind'a smoother easier to edit stuff but I also have a GRUB option which loads stuff like gparted / clonezilla directly from .iso files for recovery / backups. I couldn't find a way to load and run an .iso file that sits on /boot via systemd-boot so that's why I added a GRUB option as well.

I did it this way:

pacman -S grub efibootmgr
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB

nano /etc/grub.d/40_custom
(my custom stuff)

chmod +x /etc/grub.d/40_custom
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
(this grub-mkconfig is what makes things "stick", so when you edit / add grub.d stuff, you have to run this command to update the changes for you)

nano /boot/loader/entries/grub.conf
title           GRUB
efi             /EFI/GRUB/grubx64.efi

I didn't add the os-prober, because it seems to work (for me) anyway, I tend to keep things as light and simple as possible. Just installing it on an absolute need to use basis.

ALWAYS take a backup / clone before you mess with this stuff, it's not fun when stuff break.

Last edited by noesoespanol (2026-04-05 23:57:26)