How to Use the Linux Mail Command

Composing a message or checking local mail from a Linux terminal starts with knowing what the mail command can do on your system. The Linux mail command is a terminal client for writing messages and reading the current user’s local mailbox.

I’ll show how to check which mail implementation is installed and use GNU Mailutils to compose a message.

TL;DR: Linux mail command

The Linux mail command composes messages and reads local mailboxes, while a configured mail transfer agent or SMTP relay handles delivery beyond the machine.

• Use mail with a recipient and -s to compose a message.
• Pipe text to mail for noninteractive use.
• Run mail without a recipient to inspect the current user’s mailbox.

What is the Linux mail command?

The Linux mail command is a terminal client. GNU Mailutils sends when given a recipient and reads the current user’s system mailbox without one. An MTA, or mail transfer agent, routes outgoing messages to a mail server because the client and delivery route are separate parts of the process.

How to use the Linux mail command step by step

Choose interactive composition or standard input for the message body. The examples use GNU Mailutils syntax, so replace the reserved example address before sending.

Step 1: Check the installed mail implementation

Check the version before choosing an attachment option. I ran this check in this refresh and it returned GNU Mailutils 3.17 with exit status 0.

mail --version

The output names the installed client and its release.

aprataksh@linuxfordevices:~$ mail --version
mail (GNU Mailutils) 3.17
Copyright (C) 2007-2024 Free Software Foundation, inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

If mail is missing on Ubuntu or Debian, the mailutils package provides GNU Mailutils mail. Use the distribution’s package manager and review its setup prompts before proceeding. Our APT package search guide shows how to check an Ubuntu package name, and the Linux package management guide covers the broader installation tools.

sudo apt install mailutils

Use the package manager and package name documented for your distribution when they differ.

Step 2: Compose an email interactively

Mail prompts for a Cc address, then accepts the body. Finish the input with Ctrl+D to hand it to the configured local mail route.

mail -s "Build report" [email protected]

Replace the example address with a checked destination. The subject is quoted so the shell passes its two words as one argument. Ctrl+D ends standard input, so use it only after the complete message body is ready.

Step 3: Provide the message body from a command or file

Pipe text to mail to avoid interactive composition, and use printf with a fixed format string when message text can contain percent signs. For shell input basics, see our Linux command-line guide.

printf '%s\\n' 'The build completed.' | mail -s "Build report" [email protected]

To send a longer prepared body, redirect a checked text file into the command.

mail -s "Build report" [email protected] < "$HOME/build-report.txt"

The redirect sends file contents as the body, not as an attachment. For text with shell variables or special characters, quote carefully and keep private data out of command history.

Step 4: Attach a file with GNU Mailutils

GNU Mailutils uses -A or the long-form attachment option for a file. The body still comes from standard input, and the recipient remains a separate argument.

printf '%s\\n' 'The report is attached.' | mail -s "Build report" -A "$HOME/reports/build.pdf" [email protected]

Check the path, read permission and contents before sending. A file name does not verify its format, and message encoding adds overhead beyond the original file size. See our Ubuntu CLI email attachment guide for a focused walkthrough of that workflow.

This behavior is specific to GNU Mailutils. Check the local manual before adapting the command to another mailx program.

Step 5: Read and manage local mail

The local mailbox shows message headers first. Enter a message number to read it, use + or – to move through messages, and enter d followed by a number to mark a message for deletion.

mail
# At the mail prompt:
1
+
d 1
quit

These prompt commands operate on local mailbox contents, not a remote webmail account. GNU Mailutils normally moves read messages from the system mailbox to the user’s mbox when the session closes, while deleted messages are removed. The exit command leaves without applying session changes.

Mail command errors and delivery limits

The table links each symptom to a check because the client, shell and delivery route can fail independently.

Remote mail requires a configured MTA or SMTP relay, and the route logs show its delivery status.

For scripts, pipe explicit text rather than relying on an interactive prompt, and log the program’s exit status. Our Linux shell types guide explains which interpreter runs a shell script.

Conclusion: use mail with a configured route

The GNU Mailutils manual documents its message and mailbox options. Check your distribution’s manual page for its packaged command.

FAQ

These answers cover the common distinction between sending, reading and delivering mail.