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Switching from GRUB to systemd-boot on Arch Linux

This guide outlines steps to remove GRUB and install systemd-boot as your system bootloader on a UEFI system running Arch Linux.

Watch out:

  • This is intended ONLY for UEFI systems.
  • Make sure /boot is mounted to the EFI System Partition (ESP).
  • Backup important data on your system before doing anything.

Prerequisites

  • Running Arch Linux in UEFI mode
  • EFI System Partition (ESP) mounted to /boot
  • Root privileges
  • bootctl available (systemd package includes this)

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Confirm UEFI and ESP Mount

Make sure you're running in UEFI mode:

ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars

Check if your ESP (EFI System Partition) is mounted at /boot:

findmnt /boot

If it's not, you'll need to mount it there before proceeding.

2. Install systemd-boot

Install systemd-boot to the EFI system partition:

bootctl install

This installs systemd-boot to your ESP under /boot/EFI/systemd.

3. (Optional) Remove GRUB

If you're sure everything is working and want to clean up:

sudo pacman -Rns grub

You might also want to remove any existing GRUB entries from the firmware:

efibootmgr

Then remove the GRUB entry, replacing xxxx with the boot number:

efibootmgr -b xxxx -B

4 Create Loader and Entries

4.1 Create /boot/loader/loader.conf

sudo tee /boot/loader/loader.conf > /dev/null <<EOF
default arch
timeout 5
console-mode max
editor no
EOF

4.2 Create a Boot Entry: /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf

sudo tee /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf > /dev/null <<EOF
title   Arch Linux
linux   /vmlinuz-linux
initrd  /initramfs-linux.img
options root=UUID=$(blkid -s UUID -o value /dev/sdXn) rw
EOF

🔁 Replace /dev/sdXn with the root partition (e.g., /dev/nvme0n1p3)

You can find it with:

lsblk

Or use:

findmnt /

Then get the UUID:

blkid /dev/sdXn

5. If using mkinitcpio/mkinitrd for kernel

Ensure your kernel and initramfs are located under /boot (not /boot/efi or elsewhere), or adjust paths accordingly.

6. Reboot and Test

Reboot your system:

sudo reboot

Enter the firmware (UEFI setup) if needed, and choose systemd-boot (or whatever entry bootctl installed).

Updating systemd-boot (Optional)

To update systemd-boot in the future:

bootctl update

Managing Boot Entries with efibootmgr

While systemd-boot manages its entries inside /boot/loader/entries/, you can also directly interact with UEFI firmware entries using efibootmgr.

Install efibootmgr

sudo pacman -S efibootmgr

List current UEFI entries

sudo efibootmgr

This shows all boot entries and the current boot order. Example output:

BootCurrent: 0002
Timeout: 2 seconds
BootOrder: 0002,0001,0000
Boot0000* Windows Boot Manager
Boot0001* UEFI: USB Device
Boot0002* Linux Boot Manager

Change Boot Order

Set Linux (0002) to boot first:

sudo efibootmgr -o 0002,0000,0001

Add a New Entry (Example)

Add a custom entry pointing to systemd-boot:

sudo efibootmgr --create --disk /dev/nvme0n1 --part 1 \
  --label "systemd-boot" --loader '\EFI\systemd\systemd-bootx64.efi'

Replace /dev/nvme0n1 and --part 1 with your EFI disk and partition.

❌ Delete an Entry

Remove entry 0000:

sudo efibootmgr -b 0000 -B

Change BootNext (One-time Boot)

Boot into Windows (entry 0000) on next reboot only:

sudo efibootmgr -n 0000

Notes

  • systemd-boot entries live in /boot/loader/entries/ → you manage them by editing files.

  • efibootmgr works at the firmware level → useful for:

    • fixing boot order
    • removing old GRUB entries
    • setting one-time boot

  • If things break, use an Arch ISO (live USB) to recover – mount your system and re-run bootctl install.