---
name: "doveadm-log"
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-log"
---

# doveadm-log(1)

Locate, test or reopen Dovecot's log files

## NAME

**doveadm-log** - Locate, test or reopen Dovecot's log files

## SYNOPSIS

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] **log errors** \[**-s** *min\_timestamp*\]

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] **log find** \[*directory*\]

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] **log reopen**

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] **log test**

## DESCRIPTION

The **doveadm log** *commands* are used to locate and reopen the log files of [dovecot(1)](/dovecot/1.md). It's also possible to test the configured targets of the *log\_path* settings.

## 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.

## COMMANDS

### log errors

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] log errors \[**-s** *min\_timestamp*\]

The **log errors** command is used to show the last - up to 1,000 - errors and warnings. If no output is generated, no errors have occurred since the last start.

- **-s** *min\_timestamp*

  An integer value, representing seconds since the epoch - also known as Unix timestamp. When a min\_timestamp was given, [doveadm(1)](/doveadm/1.md) will only show errors occurred since that point in time.

### log find

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] log find \[*directory*\]

The **log find** command is used to show the location of the log files, to which [dovecot(1)](/dovecot/1.md) logs its messages through **syslogd** (8) and [doveadm(1)](/doveadm/1.md) could not find any log files, you can specify the *directory* where your syslogd writes its log files.

### log reopen

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] log reopen

This command causes **doveadm** to send a SIGUSR1 signal to master process, which causes it to reopen all log files configured in the *log\_path*, *info\_log\_path* and *debug\_log\_path* settings. These settings are configured in */etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-logging.conf*.

The master process also signals the log process to do the same. This is mainly useful after manually rotating the log files.

### log test

**doveadm** \[*GLOBAL OPTIONS*\] log test

This command causes **doveadm** to write the message "This is Dovecot's *priority* log (*timestamp*)" to the configured log files. The used priorities are: **debug**, **info**, **warning**, **error** and **fatal**.

## EXAMPLE

This example shows how to locate the log files used by [dovecot(1)](/dovecot/1.md):

```
doveadm log find
```

```
Looking for log files from /var/log
Debug: /var/log/dovecot.debug
Info: /var/log/mail.log
Warning: /var/log/mail.log
Error: /var/log/mail.log
Fatal: /var/log/mail.log
```

## 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)