---
name: "mu-add"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "maildir-utils"
version: "1.12.9-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mu-add"
---

# mu-add(1)

add one or more messages to the database

## NAME

mu-add - add one or more messages to the database

## SYNOPSIS

**mu** \[*COMMON-OPTIONS*\] **add** \[*OPTIONS*\] *FILE*...

## DESCRIPTION

**mu add** is the command to add specific message files to the database. Each file must be specified with an absolute path.

## ADD OPTIONS

### --muhome

Use a non-default directory to store and read the database, write the logs, etc. By default, **mu** uses the XDG Base Directory Specification (e.g. on GNU/Linux this defaults to *~/.cache/mu* and *~/.config/mu*). Earlier versions of **mu** defaulted to *~/.mu*, which now requires **--muhome=~/.mu**.

The environment variable **MUHOME** can be used as an alternative to **--muhome**. The latter has precedence.

## COMMON OPTIONS

### -d, --debug

Makes **mu** generate extra debug information, useful for debugging the program itself. Debug information goes to the standard logging location; see [**mu**(1)](/mu/1.md).

### -q, --quiet

Causes **mu** not to output informational messages and progress information to standard output, but only to the log file. Error messages will still be sent to standard error. Note that **mu index** is much faster with **--quiet**, so it is recommended you use this option when using **mu** from scripts etc.

### --log-stderr

Causes **mu** to not output log messages to standard error, in addition to sending them to the standard logging location.

### --nocolor

Do not use ANSI colors. The environment variable **NO\_COLOR** can be used as an alternative to **--nocolor**.

### -V, --version

Prints **mu** version and copyright information.

### -h, --help

Lists the various command line options.

## EXIT CODE

This command returns 0 upon successful completion, or a non-zero exit code otherwise.

- 0\.

  success

- 2\.

  no matches found. Try a different query

- 11\.

  database schema mismatch. You need to re-initialize **mu**, see [**mu-init**(1)](/mu-init/1.md)

- 19\.

  failed to acquire lock. Some other program has exclusive access to the **mu** database

- 99\.

  caught an exception

## REPORTING BUGS

Please report bugs at *https://github.com/djcb/mu/issues*.

## AUTHOR

Dirk-Jan C. Binnema \<djcb@djcbsoftware.nl\>

## COPYRIGHT

This manpage is part of **mu** 1.12.9.

Copyright © 2008-2025 Dirk-Jan C. Binnema. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later *https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html*. This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO

[**mu**(1)](/mu/1.md), [**mu-index**(1)](/mu-index/1.md), [**mu-remove**(1)](/mu-remove/1.md)