# phpman > man > unexpand(1)

> **TLDR:** Convert spaces to tabs.
>
- Convert blanks in each file to tabs, writing to `stdout`:
  `unexpand {{path/to/file}}`
- Convert blanks to tabs, reading from `stdout`:
  `unexpand`
- Convert all blanks, instead of just initial blanks:
  `unexpand {{-a|--all}} {{path/to/file}}`
- Convert only leading sequences of blanks (overrides -a):
  `unexpand --first-only {{path/to/file}}`
- Have tabs a certain number of characters apart, not 8 (enables -a):
  `unexpand {{-t|--tabs}} {{number}} {{path/to/file}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

---

[UNEXPAND(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/UNEXPAND/1/markdown)                                 User Commands                                [UNEXPAND(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/UNEXPAND/1/markdown)



## NAME
       unexpand - convert spaces to tabs

## SYNOPSIS
       **unexpand** [_OPTION_]... [_FILE_]...

## DESCRIPTION
       Convert blanks in each FILE to tabs, writing to standard output.

       With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

       Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

### -a --all
              convert all blanks, instead of just initial blanks

### --first-only
              convert only leading sequences of blanks (overrides **-a**)

### -t --tabs
              have tabs N characters apart instead of 8 (enables **-a**)

### -t --tabs
              use  comma separated list of tab positions The last specified position can be prefixed
              with '/' to specify a tab size to use after the last explicitly  specified  tab  stop.
              Also  a  prefix  of  '+' can be used to align remaining tab stops relative to the last
              specified tab stop instead of the first column

       **--help** display this help and exit

### --version
              output version information and exit

## AUTHOR
       Written by David MacKenzie.

## REPORTING BUGS
       GNU coreutils online help: <<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>>
       Report any translation bugs to <<https://translationproject.org/team/>>

## COPYRIGHT
       Copyright © 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3  or  later
       <<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>>.
       This  is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.  There is NO WARRANTY, to
       the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO
       [expand(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/expand/1/markdown)

       Full documentation <<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/unexpand>>
       or available locally via: info '(coreutils) unexpand invocation'



GNU coreutils 8.32                          January 2026                                 [UNEXPAND(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/UNEXPAND/1/markdown)