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

# mu-verify(1)

verify message signatures and display information about them

## NAME

mu-verify - verify message signatures and display information about them

## SYNOPSIS

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

## DESCRIPTION

**mu verify** is the **mu** command for verifying message signatures (such as PGP/GPG signatures) and displaying information about them. The sub-command works on message files, and does not require the message to be indexed in the database.

If no message file is provided, the command expects the message on standard-input.

## VERIFY OPTIONS

### -r, --auto-retrieve

Attempt to find keys online (see the **auto-key-retrieve** option in the **gnupg**(1) documentation).

### --decrypt

Attempt to decrypt the message.

## 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.

## EXAMPLES

To display aggregated (one-line) information about the verification status in a message:

```
$ mu verify msgfile
```

To display information about all the signatures:

```
$ mu verify --verbose msgfile
```

If you only want to use the exit code, you can use:

```
$ mu verify --quiet msgfile
```

which does not give any output unless there is an error.

## 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)