---
name: "pmailq"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "pmailq"
version: "0.7-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pmailq"
---

# pmailq(8)

Postfix Mail Queue manager

## NAME

pmailq - Postfix Mail Queue manager

## SYNOPSIS

pmailq \[*OPTION*\]... \[*COMMAND*\]

pmailq **--help**

## DESCRIPTION

pmailq processes the output of the Postfix mailq command, and can list, parse (machine-readably), or delete queued messages in batches.

They can be selected by size, by queue status, and by pattern matching (with wildcards) on recipient addresses and server error messages.

## COMMANDS

Action to perform on selected entries.

- **list** (default command)

  Show (via *postqueue -p*) a detailed listing of the selected entries.

- **parse**

  Show a listing of the selected entries in a machine readable format.

- **del**

  Delete (via *postsuper -d*) the selected entries.

## OPTIONS

- **-e** *PATTERN*, **--email**=*PATTERN*

  Select entries in queue with email matching PATTERN (PATTERN accepts wildcards).

- **-m** *PATTERN*, **--msg**=*PATTERN*

  Select entries in queue with error message matching PATTERN (PATTERN accepts wildcards).

- **-l** *SIZE*, **--size-lower**=*SIZE*

  Select entries in queue with size lower than SIZE bytes.

- **-u** *SIZE*, **--size-upper**=*SIZE*

  Select entries in queue with size upper than SIZE bytes.

- **-a**

  Select 'active' entries in queue.

- **-o**

  Select 'on hold' entries in queue.

- **--version**

  Show program's version number and exit.

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

  Show this help message and exit.

## EXAMPLES

Example 1: display all the entries in queue sent to an email address matching "\*@example.com\*" with a size between 3000 and 3200 bytes in a machine readable format:

```
 # pmailq -u 3000 -l 3200 -e "*@example.com" parse
 7E75214643A4|Fri Aug 31|3154|1|0|edgar@example.com
 B0BDE146B640|Thu Aug 30|3199|1|0|paul@example.com
 B587E146B675|Wed Aug 29|3065|0|0|paul@example.com
 CF3C514656E4|Wed Aug 29|3161|0|0|abuse@example.com
      /\         /\       /\  \  \
   queue id     date     size  \  \ on hold (or not)
                                \ active (or not)
```

Example 2: remove all mails in queue not sent because of a connection time out:

```
 # pmailq -m "*connection*timed*out" del
 deleting 00CF514616D3 [OK]
 deleting 12D911461924 [OK]
 deleting 269EF1461CA9 [OK]
 deleting 288DF1461CA0 [OK]
 deleting 3B3901460F62 [OK]
 deleting 3AE58147019F [OK]
```

## SEE ALSO

[**postsuper**(1)](/postsuper/1.md) privileged queue operations, [**postqueue**(1)](/postqueue/1.md) mail queue control

## AUTHOR

Emmanuel Bouthenot \<kolter@openics.org\>

## COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

Copyright 2007-2011 by Emmanuel Bouthenot \<kolter@openics.org\>

This program is released under the "do What The Fuck you want to Public Licence" Version 2, as published by Sam Hocevar.

See http://sam.zoy.org/wtfpl/COPYING for more details.