---
name: "age-inspect"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "age"
version: "1.3.2-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/age-inspect"
---

# age-inspect(1)

inspect age(1) encrypted files

## NAME

**age-inspect** - inspect [age(1)](/age/1.md) encrypted files

## SYNOPSIS

**age-inspect** \[**--json**\] \[*INPUT*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**age-inspect** reads an [age(1)](/age/1.md) encrypted file from *INPUT* (or standard input) and displays metadata about it without decrypting.

This includes the recipient types, whether it uses post-quantum encryption, and a size breakdown of the file components.

## OPTIONS

- **--json**

  Output machine-readable JSON instead of human-readable text.

- **--version**

  Print the version and exit.

## JSON FORMAT

When **--json** is specified, the output is a JSON object with these fields:

- ○

  **version**: The age format version (e.g., **"age-encryption.org/v1"**).

- ○

  **postquantum**: Whether the file uses post-quantum encryption: **"yes"**, **"no"**, or **"unknown"**.

- ○

  **armor**: Boolean indicating whether the file is ASCII-armored.

- ○

  **stanza\_types**: Array of recipient stanza type strings (e.g., **\["X25519"\]** or **\["mlkem768x25519"\]**).

- ○

  **sizes**: Object containing size information in bytes:

- ○

  **header**: Size of the age header.

- ○

  **armor**: Armor encoding overhead (0 if not armored).

- ○

  **overhead**: Stream encryption overhead.

- ○

  **min\_payload**, **max\_payload**: Payload size bounds (currently always matching).

- ○

  **min\_padding**, **max\_padding**: Padding size bounds (currently always 0).

-

  -

  The fields add up to the total size of the file.

-

  ## EXAMPLES

Inspect an encrypted file:

-

  ```
  $ age-inspect secrets.age
  secrets.age is an age file, version "age-encryption.org/v1".
  This file is encrypted to the following recipient types:
  - "mlkem768x25519"
  This file uses post-quantum encryption.
  Size breakdown (assuming it decrypts successfully):
      Header                      1627 bytes
      Encryption overhead           32 bytes
      Payload                       42 bytes
                          -------------------
      Total                       1701 bytes
  Tip: for machine-readable output, use --json.
  ```

-

  Get JSON output for scripting:

-

  ```
  $ age-inspect --json secrets.age
  {
      "version": "age-encryption.org/v1",
      "postquantum": "yes",
      "armor": false,
      "stanza_types": [
          "mlkem768x25519"
      ],
      "sizes": {
          "header": 1627,
          "armor": 0,
          "overhead": 32,
          "min_payload": 42,
          "max_payload": 42,
          "min_padding": 0,
          "max_padding": 0
      }
  }
  ```

-

  ## SEE ALSO

[age(1)](/age/1.md), [age-keygen(1)](/age-keygen/1.md)

## AUTHORS

Filippo Valsorda *age@filippo.io*