Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: Error: WARNING: systemd-networkd is not running, output will be incomplete

Systemd-networkd not running error, incomplete output.

Quick Answer: Run the command "systemctl start systemd-networkd" to enable its display.

The error 'WARNING: systemd-networkd is not running, output will be incomplete' is encountered when attempting to view network interfaces using the `networkctl` command. This issue primarily affects users who have set up their system to use systemd-networkd for network configuration and are experiencing difficulties in displaying available network interfaces.

This error can be frustrating as it prevents users from gaining a comprehensive understanding of their network setup, which is essential for troubleshooting and optimization purposes.

🔍 Why This Happens

  • The primary reason for this issue lies in the fact that systemd-networkd is not running. When this service is not enabled, the `networkctl` command cannot display the complete list of available network interfaces.
  • An alternative cause could be related to misconfiguration or missing dependencies required by systemd-networkd.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Enabling systemd-networkd via Systemd

  1. Step 1: To enable systemd-networkd, first ensure that it is installed on your system. You can do this by running the command `sudo apt-get install systemd-networkd` (for Ubuntu-based systems) or `sudo yum install networkmanager` (for RPM-based systems).
  2. Step 2: Next, restart the systemd service to activate the changes: `sudo systemctl restart systemd-networkd`. This should enable the display of interfaces using the `networkctl` command.
  3. Step 3: Verify that systemd-networkd is running by checking its status: `systemctl status systemd-networkd`. If it's not running, you may need to manually start it: `sudo systemctl start systemd-networkd`.

Enabling systemd-networkd via Netplan

  1. Step 1: If the issue persists, try enabling systemd-networkd using netplan. First, ensure that your network configuration is set up correctly in the `netplan` file.
  2. Step 2: Edit the `netplan` file to include the `networkd` section, which enables systemd-networkd: `sudo nano /etc/netplan/00-netcfg.yaml`. Add the following lines to the file: `network: ethernets: ens33: match: macaddress: network: ethernets: enp4s5: match: macaddress: `
  3. Step 3: Save and close the file, then apply the changes: `sudo netplan apply`.

💡 Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to enable the display of interfaces using the `networkctl` command. Remember to verify that systemd-networkd is running after making any changes to ensure optimal network configuration and troubleshooting.

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