---
name: "from"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "bsdmainutils"
version: "6.1.10"
release: "Debian 5.0 (Lenny)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/from"
---

# from(1)

print names of those who have sent mail

## NAME

**from** – print names of those who have sent mail

## SYNOPSIS

**from** \[**-c**\] \[**-s** *sender*\] \[**-f** *file*\] \[*user*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **from** utility prints out the mail header lines from the invoker's mailbox.

The following options are available:

- **-c**

  Just print a count of messages and exit.

- **-f** *file*

  The supplied file is examined instead of the invoker's mailbox. If the **-f** option is used, the *user* argument should not be used. Read from standard input if file name *-* is given.

- **-s** *sender*

  Only mail from addresses containing the supplied string are printed.

If *user* is given, the *user*'s mailbox is examined instead of the invoker's own mailbox. (Privileges are required.)

## ENVIRONMENT

- MAIL

  If set, the location of the invoker's mailbox. Otherwise, the default in */var/mail* is used.

## FILES

- */var/mail/\**

  ## SEE ALSO

[biff(1)](/biff/1.md), [mail(1)](/mail/1.md)

## HISTORY

The **from** command appeared in 3.0BSD.