---
name: "doveadm-indexer"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dovecot"
version: "2.4.5-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/doveadm-indexer"
---

# doveadm-indexer(1)

Commands related to managing the indexer process

## NAME

**doveadm-indexer** - Commands related to managing the indexer process

## SYNOPSIS

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] **indexer** *command* \[*OPTIONS*\] \[*ARGUMENTS*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**doveadm indexer** can be used to manage the indexer process.

## GLOBAL OPTIONS

Global [doveadm(1)](/doveadm/1.md) *options*:

- **-D**

  Enables *verbosity* and debug messages.

- **-O**

  Do not read any config file, just use defaults. The **dovecot\_storage\_version** setting defaults to the latest version, but can be overridden with **-o**.

- **-k**

  Preserve entire environment for doveadm, not just **import\_environment** setting.

- **-v**

  Enables verbosity, including progress counter.

- **-i** *instance-name*

  If using multiple Dovecot instances, choose the config file based on this instance name.

  See **instance\_name** setting for more information.

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

  Read configuration from the given *config-file*. By default it first reads config socket, and then falls back to */etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf*. You can also point this to config socket of some instance running compatible version.

- **-o** *setting***=***value*

  Overrides the configuration *setting* from */etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf* and from the userdb with the given *value*. In order to override multiple settings, the **-o** option may be specified multiple times.

- **-f** *formatter*

  Specifies the *formatter* for formatting the output. Supported formatters are:

  **flow**

  prints each line with *key***=***value* pairs.

  **json**

  prints a JSON array of JSON objects.

  **pager**

  prints each *key*: *value* pair on its own line and separates records with form feed character (**^L**).

  **tab**

  prints a table header followed by tab separated value lines.

  **table**

  prints a table header followed by adjusted value lines.

## COMMANDS

### indexer add

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] indexer add \[**-h**\] \[**-n** *max\_recent*\] *user* *mailbox*

Add indexing request for the given *user* and the *mailbox* to the indexer queue. It works the same as the **doveadm index -q** command.

- **-h**

  Add the indexing request to the head of the queue. By default the request is added to the tail of the queue.

- **-n** *max\_recent*

  An integer value, which specifies the maximum number of \\Recent messages in mailboxes. If the mailbox contains more than *max\_recent* messages with \\Recent flag set, the mailbox will not be indexed. This may be useful to avoid unnecessary indexing for large mailboxes that are never opened.

### indexer remove

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] indexer remove *user\_mask* \[*mailbox\_mask*\]

Remove all indexer requests for the matching *user\_mask* (and *mailbox\_mask*). It's possible to use wildcards. Requests that are currently processed by indexer-worker are not listed; use **doveadm kick** instead to kick them.

### indexer list

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] indexer list *user\_mask*

List all the queued indexing requests matching *user\_mask*. It's possible to use wildcards. Requests that are currently processed by indexer-worker are not listed; use **doveadm who** instead to see them.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs, including *doveconf -n* output, to the Dovecot Mailing List *⟨dovecot@dovecot.org⟩*. Information about reporting bugs is available at: *⟨https://dovecot.org/bugreport.html⟩*

## SEE ALSO

[doveadm(1)](/doveadm/1.md)