# k3s increase inotify

When you encounter the following error on k3s/k8s:

```json
{"component":"virt-handler","level":"fatal","msg":"Failed to create an inotify watcher","pos":"cert-manager.go:105","reason":"too many open files","timestamp":"2025-08-19T21:31:37.405064Z"}
```

You may increase the following value fs.inotify.max\_user\_instances = 8192. It defaults to 128 on Debian 13. You may check fs.inotify.max\_user\_watches as well. However its handled dynamically in most cases.

```bash
 sysctl -w fs.inotify.max_user_instances=8192
```

Its recommended to make it persistent by creating a file in /etc/systctl.d/.