---
name: "cupsfilter"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "cups"
version: "2:2.4.20-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cupsfilter"
---

# cupsfilter(8)

convert a file to another format using cups filters (deprecated)

## NAME

cupsfilter - convert a file to another format using cups filters (deprecated)

## SYNOPSIS

**cupsfilter** \[ **--list-filters** \] \[ **-D** \] \[ **-U** *user* \] \[ **-c** *config-file* \] \[ **-d** *printer* \] \[ **-e** \] \[ **-i** *mime/type* \] \[ **-j** *job-id\[,N\]* \] \[ **-m** *mime/type* \] \[ **-n** *copies* \] \[ **-o** *name=value* \] \[ **-p** *filename.ppd* \] \[ **-t** *title* \] \[ **-u** \] *filename*

## DESCRIPTION

**cupsfilter** is a front-end to the CUPS filter subsystem which allows you to convert a file to a specific format, just as if you had printed the file through CUPS. By default, **cupsfilter** generates a PDF file. The converted file is sent to the standard output.

## OPTIONS

- **--list-filters**

  Do not actually run the filters, just print the filters used to stdout.

- **-D**

  Delete the input file after conversion.

- **-U** *user*

  Specifies the username passed to the filters. The default is the name of the current user.

- **-c** *config-file*

  Uses the named cups-files.conf configuration file.

- **-d** *printer*

  Uses information from the named printer.

- **-e**

  Use every filter from the PPD file.

- **-i** *mime/type*

  Specifies the source file type. The default file type is guessed using the filename and contents of the file.

- **-j** *job-id\[,N\]*

  Converts document N from the specified job. If N is omitted, document 1 is converted.

- **-m** *mime/type*

  Specifies the destination file type. The default file type is application/pdf. Use printer/foo to convert to the printer format defined by the filters in the PPD file.

- **-n** *copies*

  Specifies the number of copies to generate.

- **-o** *name=value*

  Specifies options to pass to the CUPS filters.

- **-p** *filename.ppd*

  Specifies the PPD file to use.

- **-t** *title*

  Specifies the document title.

- **-u**

  Delete the PPD file after conversion.

## EXIT STATUS

**cupsfilter** returns a non-zero exit status on any error.

## ENVIRONMENT

All of the standard [**cups**(1)](/cups/1.md) environment variables affect the operation of **cupsfilter**.

## FILES

```
/etc/cups/cups-files.conf
/etc/cups/*.convs
/etc/cups/*.types
/usr/share/cups/mime/*.convs
/usr/share/cups/mime/*.types
```

## NOTES

CUPS printer drivers, filters, and backends are deprecated and will no longer be supported in a future feature release of CUPS. Printers that do not support IPP can be supported using applications such as [**ippeveprinter**(1)](/ippeveprinter/1.md).

Unlike when printing, filters run using the **cupsfilter** command use the current user and security session. This may result in different output or unexpected behavior.

## EXAMPLE

The following command will generate a PDF preview of job 42 for a printer named "myprinter" and save it to a file named "preview.pdf":

```
    cupsfilter -m application/pdf -d myprinter -j 42 >preview.pdf
```

## SEE ALSO

[**cups**(1)](/cups/1.md), [**cupsd.conf**(5)](/cupsd.conf/5.md), **[filter(7)](/filter/7.md),** **mime.convs**(7), **mime.types**(7), CUPS Online Help (http://localhost:631/help)

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2020-2024 by OpenPrinting.