---
name: "getmail_fetch"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "getmail6"
version: "6.19.07-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/getmail_fetch"
---

# getmail\_fetch(1)

retrieve messages from one or more POP3 or POP3-over-SSL mailboxes and deliver to a maildir, mboxrd-format mbox file, or external MDA

## NAME

getmail\_fetch - retrieve messages from one or more POP3 or POP3-over-SSL mailboxes and deliver to a maildir, mboxrd-format mbox file, or external MDA

## SYNOPSIS

**getmail\_fetch** \[*OPTIONS*\] *SERVER* *USERNAME* *PASSWORD* *DESTINATION*

## DESCRIPTION

getmail\_fetch retrieves messages from POP3 or POP3-over-SSL mailboxes and delivers to a maildir, mboxrd, or external MDA.  This command is intended primarily for scripting, and as such does not require a client-side configuration file, and does not record any state.

The *DESTINATION* argument is interpreted as follows:

If it begins with a dot or a slash and ends with a slash, it is assumed to be a path to a maildir.

If it begins with a dot or a slash and does not end with a slash, it is assumed to be a path to an mboxrd file.

If it begins with a pipe, it is assumed to be a path to an external MDA command.  Note that arguments can be included in this string by separating them by whitespace; untrusted data **must not** be used in constructing this string.

## OPTIONS

- **--version**

  show program's version number and exit

- **-h**, **--help**

  show a short usage summary and exit

- **-v**, **--verbose**

  output information messages while running

- **-q**, **--quiet**

  output only on error

- **-m***FILE*, **--message**=*FILE*

  read well-formatted RFC822 message from FILE and deliver prior to connecting to POP server

- **-p***PORT*, **--port**=*PORT*

  use port PORT instead of default (POP3: 110, POP3-over-SSL: 995)

- **-d**, **--delete**

  delete messages from server after delivery

- **-t***TIMEOUT*, **--timeout**=*TIMEOUT*

  use timeout of TIMEOUT seconds instead of default 180

- **-a**, **--apop**

  use APOP authentication

- **-s**, **--ssl**

  use POP3-over-SSL

## AUTHOR

Written by Charles Cazabon and others.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to \<https://github.com/getmail6/getmail6/issues\>

**IMPORTANT:** include the output of **getmail \[options\] --dump** with any bug report.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 1998-2025 Charles Cazabon and others.\
 This is free software; see the file COPYING for copying conditions.  There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

## SEE ALSO

The full documentation for **getmail** is maintained in HTML and plaintext formats.  See the included files for details.