---
name: "aerc-search"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "aerc"
version: "0.22.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/aerc-search"
---

# aerc-search(1)

search and filter patterns and options for aerc(1)

## NAME

aerc-search - search and filter patterns and options for [**aerc**(1)](/aerc/1.md)

## SYNTAX

This syntax is common to all backends.

**:filter** \[**-rubave**\] \[**-x** *\<flag\>*\] \[**-X** *\<flag\>*\] \[**-H** *\<header\>:\[\<value\>\]*\] \[**-f** *\<from\>*\] \[**-t** *\<to\>*\] \[**-c** *\<cc\>*\] \[**-d** *\<start\[..end\]\>*\] \[*\<terms\>*...\]\
 **:search** \[**-rubave**\] \[**-x** *\<flag\>*\] \[**-X** *\<flag\>*\] \[**-H** *\<header\>:\[\<value\>\]*\] \[**-f** *\<from\>*\] \[**-t** *\<to\>*\] \[**-c** *\<cc\>*\] \[**-d** *\<start\[..end\]\>*\] \[*\<terms\>*...\]

Searches the current folder for messages matching the given set of conditions.

**:filter** restricts the displayed messages to only the search results.

Each space separated term of *\<terms\>*, if provided, is searched case-insensitively among subject lines unless **-b** or **-a** are provided.

**-r**: Search for read messages

**-u**: Search for unread messages

**-x** *\<flag\>*, **-X** *\<flag\>*: Restrict search to messages with or without *\<flag\>*

Use **-x** to search for messages with the flag set. Use **-X** to search for messages without the flag set.

Possible values are:

*seen*

Read messages

*answered*

Replied messages

*forwarded*

Forwarded messages

*flagged*

Flagged messages

*draft*

Draft messages

**-H** *\<header\>:\[\<value\>\]*:

Search in the headers of the messages for a specific *\<header\>* that matches *\<value\>*, *\<value\>* can be omitted to only search for a *\<header\>*. If either the *\<header\>* or the *\<value\>* contain a space then the whole argument needs to be escaped with quotes, note: spaces around *\<value\>* are trimmed.

**-b**: Search in the body of the messages

**-a**: Search in the entire text of the messages

**-v**: Exclude messages which match this search

**-e**: Instruct the backend to use a custom search extension

(such as X-GM-EXT-1 if available). Search terms are expected in *\<terms\>*; other flags will be ignored.

**-f** *\<from\>*: Search for messages from *\<from\>*

**-t** *\<to\>*: Search for messages to *\<to\>*

**-c** *\<cc\>*: Search for messages cc'ed to *\<cc\>*

**-d** *\<since\[..until\]\>*:

Search for messages within a particular date range between *since* and *until*, excluding the latter (in mathematical notation: search for messages in the \[*since*, *until*) interval). *until* can be omitted to only search for *\<since\>* to present.

Spaces and underscores are allowed in relative dates to improve readability.

*YYYY-MM-DD*

**today**, **yesterday**

**(this\|last) (year\|month\|week)**

**Weekdays**, **Monthnames**

Can also be abbreviated, so Monday..Tuesday can be written as Mon..Tue and February..March as Feb..Mar.

*\<N\>* **(y\[ear\]\|m\[onth\]\|w\[eek\]\|d\[ay\])**

*\<N\>* is a positive integer that represents the number of time units in the past. Multiple relative terms can be accumulated. The units can also be abbreviated by a single letter such that yesterday would correspond to *1d* (equivalent to *1 day* or *1\_day*) and *8 days ago* would be either *1w1d* or *8d*.

## CUSTOM IMAP EXTENSIONS

The Gmail IMAP extension (X-GM-EXT-1) can be used for searching and filtering. To use this custom extension, make sure it is activated (see [**aerc-imap**(5)](/aerc-imap/5.md)) and use the extension **-e** flag in your **:filter** or **:search** commands.

Example:

:filter -e filename:pdf from:bob :filter -e has:attachment newer\_than:2d

:search -e is:read is:starred :search -e list:~rjarry/aerc-devel@lists.sr.ht

## NOTMUCH

For notmuch, it is possible to avoid using the above flags and only rely on notmuch search syntax.

**:filter** *query*...\
 **:search** *query*...

You can use the full notmuch query language as described in [**notmuch-search-terms**(7)](/notmuch-search-terms/7.md).

The query will only apply on top of the active folder query.

Example, jump to next unread:

:search tag:unread

## SEE ALSO

[**aerc**(1)](/aerc/1.md) [**aerc-config**(5)](/aerc-config/5.md)

## AUTHORS

Originally created by Drew DeVault and maintained by Robin Jarry who is assisted by other open source contributors. For more information about aerc development, see *https://sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/*.