---
name: "yubioath"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "yubioath-desktop"
version: "3.0.1-2"
release: "Debian 9 (Stretch)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/yubioath"
---

# yubioath(1)

Yubico Authenticator command line interface

## NAME

yubioath - Yubico Authenticator command line interface

## SYNOPSIS

**yubioath** \[OPTIONS\] COMMAND \[ARGS\]...

## DESCRIPTION

The Yubico Authenticator is a graphical desktop tool for generating Open AuTHentication (OATH) event-based HOTP and time-based TOTP one-time password codes, with the help of a YubiKey that protects the shared secrets.

## OPTIONS

yubioath has the following options:

- **-v, --version**

  Prints the version of the application and exits.

- **-h, --help**

  Shows a list of available sub commands and arguments.

- **-R, --remember**

  Save any password given for a YubiKey to avoid having to enter it in again.

- **-r, --reader READER**

  Name to match smartcard reader against (case insensitive).

## COMMANDS

yubioath supports multiple commands, each with its own options, in addition to the global options:

### show \[OPTIONS\] \[QUERY\]

```
Display one or more one time codes calculated by the YubiKey.
```

- **-s1, --slot1 DIGITS**

  Calculate and show a one time code from slot 1, displaying DIGITS number of digits.

- **-s2, --slot2 DIGITS**

  Calculate and show a one time code from slot 2, displaying DIGITS number of digits.

- **-t, --timestamp TIMESTAMP**

  Use the user provided TIMESTAMP instead of the system clock.

- **-h, --help**

  Shows additional help for the sub command.

**QUERY**

A filter string to match credential names against. If given, only credentials containing the QUERY substring will be displayed. For HOTP credentials, codes will only be calculated when given a QUERY which uniquely specifices the credential as to avoid unwanted counter incrementation.

### put \[OPTIONS\] KEY

```
Load and store a credential into the YubiKey.
```

- **-S, --destination DEST**

  Where DEST is one of:

  • **0** the main applet (default).

  • **1** the YubiKey standard slot 1.

  • **2** the YubiKey standard slot 2.

- **-N, --name NAME**

  The name to give the credential. When giving a name with an issuer, the issuer and name should be separated by a colon: *issuer:name*. Not applicable to slot-based credentials.

- **-A, --oath-type ALGORITHM**

  OATH algorithm to use. Should be one of **totp** (default) and **hotp**. Not applicable to slot-based credentials.

- **-D, --digits DIGITS**

  The number of digits to output when generating codes. Should be **6** (default) or **8**. Not applicable to slot-based credentials.

- **-I IMF, --imf IMF**

  The initial value to store for the counter. Only applicable for HOTP credential. Not applicable to slot-based credentials.

- **-T, --touch**

  When set, the slot will require the user to press the button on the YubiKey before calculating a code. **Only** applicable to slot-based credentials.

- **-h, --help**

  Shows additional help for the sub command.

**KEY**

Either a base32 encoded key to use as the secret for the credential, or an otpauth:// URI containing the parameters of the credential. When a URI is given the other options are not needed, but can be used to override parameters in the URI, if needed.

### delete NAME

```
Deletes a credential from the main OATH credential storage.
```

**NAME**

A filter string that uniquely identifies the credential to delete.

### password SUBCOMMAND \[OPTIONS\]

```
Manage the access password of the OATH applet.
```

**set**

Sets a new password for the YubiKey.

**unset**

Unsets the current password, so that the YubiKey does not require a password to be used.

**forget**

Remove all access keys stored on disk.

- **-p, --password PASSWORD**

  Provide the new password for use with the **set** sub command as an argument. If not given, the command will prompt the user to enter a new password while masking input.

- **-h, --help**

  Shows additional help for the sub command.

### reset \[OPTIONS\]

```
Factory-reset the OATH applet, unsetting any access password and erasing
all stored credentials.
```

- **-f, --force**

  Do not prompt for confirmation before resetting.

- **-h, --help**

  Shows additional help for the sub command.

## BUGS

Report bugs in the issue tracker (https://github.com/Yubico/yubioath-desktop/issues)

## SEE ALSO

[**yubioath-gui**(1)](/yubioath-gui/1.md)