How to reload or restart a service using systemctl

The systemctl reload-or-restart command is the practical middle ground after a service configuration change when a live reload is preferred but the unit might only support a full restart. It keeps routine maintenance, deploy hooks, and manual admin work on one lifecycle verb instead of branching on reload support first.

On a systemd host, reload-or-restart asks the unit to reload its own application configuration when the service exposes a reload path, and otherwise stops and starts the unit. Inactive units are started too, so the follow-up check needs to confirm whether the service stayed on the same main process or came back with a fresh start.

This action does not make systemd reread the unit file itself. Run daemon-reload first after editing a unit file or drop-in under /etc/systemd/system, add sudo for system services, use systemctl –user for per-user units, and switch to try-reload-or-restart when stopped units must remain stopped.

1. Check the target unit's current state and reload support before using the combined command.

   $ systemctl show -p ActiveState -p SubState -p CanReload nginx.service
   ActiveState=active
   SubState=running
   CanReload=yes

   Replace nginx.service with the real unit name on the host. When CanReload=no, systemctl reload-or-restart uses the restart path instead of an in-place reload.

2. Run the combined lifecycle command for the service.

   $ sudo systemctl reload-or-restart nginx.service

   Use systemctl --user reload-or-restart unit.service for a per-user unit instead of the system manager command. If the unit is currently inactive, this command starts it.

   Related: How to manage a service using systemctl

3. Check the full unit status after the command.

   $ systemctl status --no-pager --full nginx.service
   ● nginx.service - A high performance web server and a reverse proxy server
        Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/nginx.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
        Active: active (running) since Tue 2026-04-22 08:41:12 +08; 7s ago
       Process: 1842 ExecReload=/usr/bin/nginx -s reload (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
      Main PID: 1788 (nginx)
         Tasks: 3 (limit: 4545)
        Memory: 4.7M (peak: 5.2M)
           CPU: 58ms
        CGroup: /system.slice/nginx.service
                ├─1788 "nginx: master process /usr/sbin/nginx -g daemon on; master_process on;"
                ├─1843 "nginx: worker process"
                └─1844 "nginx: worker process"
   ##### snipped #####

   The Process: line for ExecReload= shows the reload path ran. When the unit reports CanReload=no, expect a fresh Active: timestamp or a new Main PID instead of an ExecReload= result.

   Related: How to check service status using systemctl

4. Read the recent unit journal when the status view does not make the lifecycle path obvious or the service does not behave as expected afterward.

   $ sudo journalctl -u nginx.service -n 6 --no-pager
   Apr 22 08:41:12 server systemd[1]: Reloading nginx.service - A high performance web server and a reverse proxy server...
   Apr 22 08:41:12 server nginx[1842]: signal process started
   Apr 22 08:41:12 server systemd[1]: Reloaded nginx.service - A high performance web server and a reverse proxy server.

   A restart fallback shows stop-and-start lines instead of Reloading and Reloaded. This is the clearer follow-up when the service stays active but still appears to be using old settings.

   Related: How to view system logs using journalctl

5. Use the active-only variant when maintenance should not wake a service that is currently stopped.

   $ sudo systemctl try-reload-or-restart nginx.service

   try-reload-or-restart reloads or restarts only active units. It does nothing when the target service is already inactive.

6. Reload the systemd manager first when the unit file or a drop-in changed on disk.

   $ sudo systemctl daemon-reload

   daemon-reload makes systemd reread changed unit definitions, but it does not reload the application's own configuration by itself. Run it before reload-or-restart after editing files such as /etc/systemd/system/nginx.service/ or /etc/systemd/system/nginx.service.d/*.conf/.

   Related: How to reload the systemd manager configuration