---
name: "notmuch-emacs-mua"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "notmuch-runtime"
version: "0.40-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/notmuch-emacs-mua"
---

# notmuch-emacs-mua(1)

send mail with notmuch and emacs

## NAME

notmuch-emacs-mua - send mail with notmuch and emacs

## SYNOPSIS

**notmuch** **emacs-mua** \[options ...\] \[\<to-address\> ... \| \<mailto-url\>\]

## DESCRIPTION

Start composing an email in the Notmuch Emacs UI with the specified subject, recipients, and message body, or mailto: URL.

Supported options for **emacs-mua** include

- **-h, --help**

  Display help.

- **-s, --subject=\<subject\>**

  Specify the subject of the message.

- **--to=\<to-address\>**

  Specify a recipient (To).

- **-c, --cc=\<cc-address\>**

  Specify a carbon-copy (Cc) recipient.

- **-b, --bcc=\<bcc-address\>**

  Specify a blind-carbon-copy (Bcc) recipient.

- **-i, --body=\<file\>**

  Specify a file to include into the body of the message.

- **--hello**

  Go to the Notmuch hello screen instead of the message composition window if no message composition parameters are given.

- **--no-window-system**

  Even if a window system is available, use the current terminal.

- **--client**

  Use **[emacsclient(1)](/emacsclient/1.md) \<https://manpages.debian.org/emacsclient.1.html\>**, rather than **[emacs(1)](/emacs/1.md) \<https://manpages.debian.org/emacs.1.html\>**. For **[emacsclient(1)](/emacsclient/1.md) \<https://manpages.debian.org/emacsclient.1.html\>** to work, you need an already running Emacs with a server, or use **--auto-daemon**.

- **--auto-daemon**

  Automatically start Emacs in daemon mode, if the Emacs server is not running. Applicable with **--client**. Implies **--create-frame**.

- **--create-frame**

  Create a new frame instead of trying to use the current Emacs frame. Applicable with **--client**. This will be required when Emacs is running (or automatically started with **--auto-daemon**) in daemon mode.

- **--print**

  Output the resulting elisp to stdout instead of evaluating it.

The supported positional parameters and short options are a compatible subset of the **[mutt(1)](/mutt/1.md) \<https://manpages.debian.org/mutt.1.html\>** MUA command-line options. The options and positional parameters modifying the message can't be combined with the mailto: URL.

Options may be specified multiple times.

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

- **EMACS**

  Name of emacs command to invoke. Defaults to "emacs".

- **EMACSCLIENT**

  Name of emacsclient command to invoke. Defaults to "emacsclient".

## SEE ALSO

notmuch \<#notmuch-1\>, **[emacsclient(1)](/emacsclient/1.md) \<https://manpages.debian.org/emacsclient.1.html\>**, **[mutt(1)](/mutt/1.md) \<https://manpages.debian.org/mutt.1.html\>**

## Author

Carl Worth and many others

## Copyright

2009-2026, Carl Worth and many others