---
name: "pius"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pius"
version: "3.0.0-9"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pius"
---

# pius(1)

PGP Individual UID Signer

## NAME

pius - PGP Individual UID Signer

## SYNOPSIS

**pius** \[*options*\] **-s** \<*signer-keyid*\> \<*keyid*\> \[ \<*keyid*\>  ... \]\
 **pius** \[*options*\] **-A -r** \<*keyring-path*\> **-s** \<*signer-keyid*\>

## DESCRIPTION

**pius** is a tool for individually signing all of the UIDs on a set of keys, and emailing an encrypted copy of each such signature to the email address associated with that UID.

As a result of this process, the recipient can choose which signatures to import. Also, signatures of inactive uids are not delivered. This tool greatly reduces time and error when signing keys.

## OPTIONS

- **--version**

  show program's version number and exit

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

  show this help message and exit

- **-A**, **--all-keys**

  Sign all keys on the keyring. Requires **-r**.

- **-d**, **--debug**

  Enable debugging output.

- **-b** *PATH*, **--gpg-path=***PATH*

  Path to gpg binary. \[default: */usr/bin/gpg2*\]

- **-e**, **--encrypt-outfiles**

  Encrypt output files with respective keys.

- **-H** *HOSTNAME*, **--mail-host=***HOSTNAME*

  Hostname of SMTP server. \[default: *localhost*\]

- **-I**, **--import**

  Also import the unsigned keys from the keyring into the default keyring. Ignored if **-r** is not specified, or if it's the same as the default keyring.

- **-m** *FROM-EMAIL*, **--mail=***FROM-EMAIL*

  Email the encrypted, signed keys to the respective email addresses using *FROM-EMAIL* as the sender. See also **-H** and **-P**.

- **-M** *FILE*, **--mail-text=***FILE*

  Use the text in *FILE* as the body of email when sending out emails instead of the default text. To see the default text use **--print-default-email**. Requires **-m**.

- **-N**, **--no-sort-keyring**

  Do not sort the keyring by name.

- **-n** *TO-EMAIL*, **--override-email=***TO-EMAIL*

  Rather than send to the user, send to this address. Mostly useful for debugging.

- **-o** *OUTPUT-DIR*, **--out-dir=***OUTPUT-DIR*

  Directory to put signed keys in. \[default: */tmp/pius\_out*\]

- **-O**, **--no-pgp-mime**

  Do not use PGP/Mime when sending email.

- **-P** *PORT*, **--mail-port=***PORT*

  *Port* of SMTP server. \[default: 587\]

- **-r** *KEYRING*, **--keyring=***KEYRING*

  The keyring to use. Be sure to specify full or relative path. Just a filename will cause GPG to assume relative to *~/.gnupg*. \[default: *~/.gnupg/pubring.gpg*\]

- **-s** *SIGNER-KEYID*, **--signer=***SIGNER-KEYID*

  The keyid to sign with (required).

- **-f** *KEYID*, **--force-signer=***KEYID*

  Force GnuPG to use this exact keyid to sign (do not guess subkey)

- **-S**, **--no-mail-tls**

  Do not use STARTTLS when talking to the SMTP server.

- **-t** *TEMP-DIR*, **--tmp-dir=***TEMP-DIR*

  Directory to put temporary stuff in. \[default: */tmp/pius\_tmp*\]

- **-T**, **--print-default-email**

  Print the default email.

- **-u** *USER*, **--mail-user=***USER*

  Authenticate to the SMTP server with username *USER*. You will be prompted for the password.

- **-U** *POLICY-URL*, **--policy-url=***POLICY-URL*

  Policy URL to include in each signature.

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

  Be more verbose.

## AUTHOR

PIUS was written by Phil Dibowitz \<phil@ipom.com\>

This manual page was written by Luke Cycon \<lcycon@gmail.com\> and Felix Lechner \<felix.lechner@gmail.com\> for the Debian project, but may be used by others.