# Install mutt with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

Mongrel of mail user agents (part elm, pine, mush, mh, etc.). Version 2.4.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-04. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install mutt.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:mutt
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install mutt
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install mutt
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: mail/mutt/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- apk (92%):

```sh
sudo apk add mutt
```

  Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mutt from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install mutt
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: mutt from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

- dnf (92%):

```sh
sudo dnf install mutt
```

  Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: mutt from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#mutt
```

  Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/mu/mutt/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

- pacman (92%):

```sh
sudo pacman -S mutt
```

  Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: mutt from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

- zypper (92%):

```sh
sudo zypper install mutt
```

  Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mutt from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:mutt
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 2.4.1
- **Source summary:** Mongrel of mail user agents (part elm, pine, mush, mh, etc.)
- **Homepage:** <http://www.mutt.org/>
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-04T07:03:00Z
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- flea (alias)
- mutt (alias)
- mutt_dotlock (alias)
- mutt_pgpring (alias)
- muttbug (alias)
- pgpewrap (alias)
- smime_keys (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 2.4.1
## Project history and usage

Mutt is one of the long-running Unix text-mode mail user agents. The project page credits Michael Elkins as the original author and says maintenance moved to the members of the Mutt development mailing list. LWN's account traces its design to Elm, with ideas from Pine and Mush contributing to both the feature set and the name.

### Project history

Mutt established its role by being a keyboard-driven, highly configurable MUA rather than a complete groupware client. Its manual emphasizes MIME mail, key bindings, macros, threading, pattern matching, hooks, color configuration, OpenPGP/GPG, S/MIME, IMAP, POP, and SMTP support. In practice users pair it with external editors, local mail stores, MTAs, filters, indexers such as Notmuch, and sync tools, which fits the Unix style of composing small programs.

### How it is used

The 2.0 release was a notable milestone because it marked a major-version update for a tool with roots in the 1990s and brought interface and configuration refinements while preserving Mutt's terminal-first model. In package-manager terms, Mutt is a baseline text email client: it is packaged broadly across Unix-like systems, and NeoMutt exists as a closely related fork or variant that collects extra features and patches for users who want a more batteries-included branch of the same tradition.

### Sources

- <https://gitlab.com/muttmua/mutt>
- <https://lwn.net/Articles/837960/>
- <https://www.mutt.org/>
- <https://www.mutt.org/doc/manual/>


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals


## Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.


## Configuration files

- Unix: ~/.muttrc, ~/.mutt/muttrc, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mutt/muttrc

## Credential files

- Unix: ~/.muttrc, ~/.mutt/muttrc, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mutt/muttrc
## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - mutt - 2.2.13-1+deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: mutt from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | text-based mailreader supporting MIME, GPG, PGP and threading | http://www.mutt.org/
- Nix - mutt: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/mu/mutt/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
- Ubuntu apt - mutt - 2.2.12-0.1build4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: mutt from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | text-based mailreader supporting MIME, GPG, PGP and threading | http://www.mutt.org/
- apk - mutt - 2.4.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mutt from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small and very powerful text-mode email client | http://www.mutt.org
- apk - mutt-doc - 2.4.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mutt-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small and very powerful text-mode email client (documentation) | http://www.mutt.org
- apk - mutt-lang - 2.4.1-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mutt-lang from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Languages for package mutt | http://www.mutt.org
- dnf - mutt - 2.4.1-2.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: mutt from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | A text mode mail user agent | http://www.mutt.org
- pacman - mutt - 2.4.1-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: mutt from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Small but very powerful text-based mail client | http://www.mutt.org/
- zypper - mutt - 2.3.2-1.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mutt from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Mail Program | https://www.mutt.org
- zypper - mutt-doc - 2.3.2-1.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mutt-doc from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Additional Documentation about Mutt | https://www.mutt.org
- zypper - mutt-lang - 2.3.2-1.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: mutt-lang from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst | Languages for Mutt | https://www.mutt.org
- MacPorts - mutt: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: mail/mutt/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/mutt.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/mutt.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph