# phpman > man > mutt(1) > **TLDR:** Command-line email client. > - Open the specified mailbox: `mutt -f {{mailbox}}` - Send an email and specify a subject and a cc recipient: `mutt -s {{subject}} -c {{cc@example.com}} {{recipient@example.com}}` - Send an email with files attached: `mutt -a {{file1 file2 ...}} -- {{recipient@example.com}}` - Specify a file to include as the message body: `mutt -i {{path/to/file}} {{recipient@example.com}}` - Specify a draft file containing the header and the body of the message, in RFC 5322 format: `mutt -H {{path/to/file}} {{recipient@example.com}}` *Source: tldr-pages* --- [MUTT(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MUTT/1/markdown) User Manuals [MUTT(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MUTT/1/markdown) ## NAME mutt - The Mutt Mail User Agent ## SYNOPSIS **mutt** [**-nRyzZ**] [**-e** _command_] [**-F** _rcfile_] [**-m** _type_] [**-f** _mailbox_] **mutt** [**-Enx**] [**-e** _command_] [**-F** _rcfile_] [**-H** _draft_] [**-i** _include_] [**-b** _bcc-addr_] [**-c** _cc-addr_] [**-s** _subject_] [**-a** _file_ _..._ **--**] _to-addr_ _..._ **mutt** [**-nx**] [**-e** _command_] [**-F** _rcfile_] [**-b** _bcc-addr_] [**-c** _cc-addr_] [**-s** _subject_] [**-a** _file_ _..._ **--**] _to-addr_ _..._ < message **mutt** [**-n**] [**-e** _command_] [**-F** _rcfile_] **-p** **mutt** [**-n**] [**-e** _command_] [**-F** _rcfile_] **-A** _alias_ **mutt** [**-n**] [**-e** _command_] [**-F** _rcfile_] **-Q** _variable_ **mutt** **-v**[**v**] ### mutt -D ## DESCRIPTION Mutt is a small but very powerful text based program for reading and sending electronic mail under unix operating systems, including support for color terminals, MIME, OpenPGP, and a threaded sorting mode. **Note**: This manual page gives a brief overview of the **mutt** executable command line options. A copy of the full manual is located in _/usr/share/doc/mutt_, in text, HTML, and/or PDF format. Please refer to the manual to learn how to use and configure Mutt. ## OPTIONS ### -A Print an expanded version of the given _alias_ and exit. ### -a Attach a _file_ using MIME. Separating _file_ and _to-addr_ arguments with “**--**” is manda‐ tory. For example: mutt -a image.jpg -- to-addr mutt -a img.jpg *.png -- to-addr-1 to-addr-2 The **-a** option must be placed at the end of command line options. ### -b Specify a blind carbon copy (BCC) address. ### -c Specify a carbon copy (CC) address. ### -d If Mutt was compiled with **+DEBUG** log debugging output to _~/.muttdebug0_. _Level_ can range from -5 to 5 and affects verbosity. A value of zero disables debugging. A value less than zero disables automatic log file rotation; the log level is then its abso‐ lute value. A value of 2 (-2) is recommended for most diagnosis. ### -D ### -E -H -i composition. ### -e Specify a configuration _command_ to be run after processing of initialization files. ### -f Specify a _mailbox_ to load. ### -F Use _rcfile_ instead of the user configuration file. ### -h ### -H Specify a _draft_ file which contains header and body to use to send a message. If _draft_ is “**-**”, then data is read from stdin. The draft file is expected to contain just an RFC822 email — headers and a body. Although it is not an mbox file, if an mbox "**From** " line is present, it will be silently discarded. Draft files are pro‐ cessed the same in interactive and batch mode; they are not passed through untouched. For example, encrypted draft files will be decrypted. ### -i Specify an _include_ file to be inserted into the body of a message. Ignored if **-H** is set. If _include_ is “**-**”, then data is read from stdin. ### -m Specify a default mailbox _type_ for newly created folders. Can be one of the follow‐ ing: mbox, MMDF, MH or Maildir. See also **$mbox**___**type** in the manual. ### -n ### -p ### -Q Query a configuration _variable_. The query is performed after all configuration files have been parsed, and any _commands_ given on the command line have been executed. ### -R ### -s Specify the _subject_ of the message. Must be enclosed in quotes if it contains spaces. ### -v ### -vv ### -x ### -y command. ### -z -f ### -Z new mail. Exit immediately with code 1 if there is no new mail in any of them. **--** Treat remaining arguments as _to-addr_ even if they start with a dash. See also **-a** above. _To-addr_ can be a local or network mail address as well as mailto: URL. ## ENVIRONMENT EDITOR, VISUAL Specifies the editor to use when composing messages. If both EDITOR and VISUAL are set, VISUAL takes precedence. If neither EDITOR nor VISUAL are set, the default is [**vi**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/vi/1/markdown). EGDSOCKET, RANDFILE Paths used to initialize the random engine for SSL library. EMAIL The user's e-mail address. HOME Full path of the user's home directory. MAIL Full path of the user's spool mailbox. MAILDIR Full path of the user's spool mailbox if MAIL is unset. Commonly used when the spool mailbox is a [**maildir**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/maildir/5/markdown) folder. MAILCAPS Path to search for mailcap files. MM_NOASK If this variable is set, mailcap are always used without prompting first. PGPPATH Directory in which the user's PGP public keyring can be found. When used with the original PGP program, mutt and **mutt**___**[pgpring**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pgpring/1/markdown) rely on this being set. REPLYTO Default Reply-To address. TMPDIR Directory in which temporary files are created. If unset, _/tmp_ is used. See also $tmpdir configuration variable. LC_ALL, LC_CTYPE, LANG Used to determine charset and locale to use. TEXTDOMAINDIR Directory containing translation files. If set, this path overwrite the Mutt instal‐ lation directory. Used for testing translation changes. ## FILES _~/.muttrc_ _~/.mutt/muttrc_ _$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mutt/muttrc_ User configuration files. _/etc/Muttrc_ _or_ _/usr/share/mutt/Muttrc_ System-wide configuration file. _/tmp/muttXXXXXX_ Temporary files created by Mutt. _~/.muttdebug0_ File containing debugging output. Log files are automatically rotated by **mutt** chang‐ ing the number at the end. See **-d** option above. _~/.mailcap_ User definition for handling non-text MIME types. _/etc/mailcap_ System definition for handling non-text MIME types. _~/.mime.types_ User's personal mapping between MIME types and file extensions. _/etc/mime.types_ System mapping between MIME types and file extensions. _/usr/bin/mutt_dotlock_ The privileged dotlocking program. _/usr/share/doc/mutt/manual.txt.gz_ The Mutt manual. ## BUGS None. Mutts have fleas, not bugs. ## FLEAS Suspend/resume while editing a file with an external editor does not work under SunOS 4.x if you use the curses lib in /usr/5lib. It _does_ work with the S-Lang library, however. Resizing the screen while using an external pager causes Mutt to go haywire on some systems. Suspend/resume does not work under Ultrix. The help line for the index menu is not updated if you change the bindings for one of the functions listed while Mutt is running. For a more up-to-date list of bugs, errm, fleas, please visit the mutt project's bug tracking system under . ## NO WARRANTIES This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. ## SEE ALSO **mutt**___**[dotlock**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dotlock/1/markdown), **mutt**___**[pgpring**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pgpring/1/markdown), [**pgpewrap**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pgpewrap/1/markdown), [**sendmail**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/sendmail/1/markdown), [**smail**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/smail/1/markdown), **smime**___**[keys**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/keys/1/markdown), [**curses**(3)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/curses/3/markdown), [**ncurses**(3)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ncurses/3/markdown), [**mailcap**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mailcap/5/markdown), [**maildir**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/maildir/5/markdown), [**mbox**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mbox/5/markdown), [**mmdf**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mmdf/5/markdown), [**muttrc**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/muttrc/5/markdown) Mutt Home Page: The Mutt manual RFC5322 — Internet Message Format: (obsoletes RFC2822 and RFC822) ## AUTHOR Michael Elkins, and others. Use <> to contact the developers. Unix July 24, 2020 [MUTT(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MUTT/1/markdown)