---
name: "profanity-otr"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "profanity"
version: "1:0.19.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/profanity-otr"
---

# profanity-otr(1)

## NAME

/otr

## DESCRIPTION

Off The Record (OTR) commands to manage keys, and perform OTR encryption during chat sessions. The title bar will show the OTR session status: \[OTR\] \[inactive\]: session inactive, plaintext blocked \[OTR\] \[untrusted\]: session active, unverified fingerprint \[OTR\] \[trusted\]: session active, authenticated.

## SYNOPSIS

/otr libver

/otr gen

/otr myfp\|theirfp

/otr start \[\<contact\>\]

/otr end

/otr trust\|untrust

/otr secret \<secret\>

/otr question \<question\> \<answer\>

/otr answer \<answer\>

/otr policy manual\|opportunistic\|always \[\<contact\>\]

/otr log on\|off\|redact

/otr char \<char\>

/otr sendfile on\|off

## ARGUMENTS

**libver**

Show which version of the libotr library is being used.

**gen**

Generate your private key.

**myfp**

Show your fingerprint.

**theirfp**

Show contacts fingerprint.

**start \[\<contact\>\]**

Start an OTR session with contact, or current recipient if omitted.

**end**

End the current OTR session.

**trust\|untrust**

Indicate whether or not you trust the contact's fingerprint.

**secret \<secret\>**

Verify a contact's identity using a shared secret.

**question \<question\> \<answer\>**

Verify a contact's identity using a question and expected answer.

**answer \<answer\>**

Respond to a question answer verification request with your answer.

**policy manual**

Set the global OTR policy to manual, OTR sessions must be started manually.

**policy manual \<contact\>**

Set the OTR policy to manual for a specific contact.

**policy opportunistic**

Set the global OTR policy to opportunistic, an OTR session will be attempted upon starting a conversation.

**policy opportunistic \<contact\>**

Set the OTR policy to opportunistic for a specific contact.

**policy always**

Set the global OTR policy to always, an error will be displayed if an OTR session cannot be initiated upon starting a conversation.

**policy always \<contact\>**

Set the OTR policy to always for a specific contact.

**log on\|off**

Enable or disable plaintext logging of OTR encrypted messages.

**log redact**

Log OTR encrypted messages, but replace the contents with \[redacted\].

**char \<char\>**

Set the character to be displayed next to OTR encrypted messages.

**sendfile on\|off**

Allow /sendfile to send unencrypted files while in an OTR session.

## EXAMPLES

/otr log off

/otr policy manual

/otr policy opportunistic odin@valhalla.edda

/otr gen

/otr start odin@valhalla.edda

/otr myfp

/otr theirfp

/otr question "What is the name of my rabbit?" fiffi

/otr end

/otr char \*