proton mail conversations

Every command under proton mail conversations, with the arguments and flags it takes. For these commands in use, see the mail guide.

Holds attachments, count, delete, export, forward, get, label, list, mark, move, reply, snooze, star, trash, unlabel, unsnooze, unstar and update.

attachments

Files attached anywhere in a thread.

Holds download and list.

attachments download

Download and decrypt attachments from a thread.

proton mail conversations attachments download REF [ATTACHMENT_REF]

proton mail conversations attachments download 'Quarterly numbers' --dest-dir .

Flag	Description
--dest string	Write to this path, or - for stdout
--dest-dir string	Write into this directory, keeping each item’s own name
--force	Overwrite a file that already exists
--include-inline	Include inline attachments

attachments list

List every attachment in a thread.

proton mail conversations attachments list REF

proton mail conversations attachments list 'Quarterly numbers'

Flag	Description
--include-inline	Include inline attachments

count

Count the threads in each folder and label.

UNREAD is how many are unread, and TOTAL how many there are. A thread counts as unread while any message in it is. Without –folder every folder and label has a row, and while categories are on, so does each category the inbox shows as a tab.

To count what a filter matches, the last line of list says how many.

proton mail conversations count

proton mail conversations count
proton mail conversations count --folder inbox --output json

Flag	Description
--folder string	Folder or label to count

delete

Delete threads permanently.

proton mail conversations delete [REF...]

proton mail conversations delete 5bH2mQxK

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

export

Write a whole thread out as .eml files or one mbox.

proton mail conversations export REF

proton mail conversations export 'Quarterly numbers' --dest-dir ./backup

Flag	Description
--dest string	Write to this path, or - for stdout
--dest-dir string	Write into this directory, keeping each item’s own name
--force	Overwrite a file that already exists
--format string	How to lay the thread down: eml, mbox (default mbox)
--no-attachments	Skip attachments

forward

Forward the newest message in a thread.

proton mail conversations forward REF

proton mail conversations forward 'Quarterly numbers' --to jane@example.com

Flag	Description
--attach stringArray	File to attach (repeatable)
--attach-inline stringArray	Image to embed in the HTML body by Content-ID (repeatable; needs –html)
--bcc stringArray	Blind-carbon-copy recipient (repeatable)
--body string	Your text, placed above the quoted original (- reads stdin)
--cc stringArray	Carbon-copy recipient (repeatable)
--draft	Save as a draft instead of sending
--eo-password-file string	Read the password for recipients outside Proton from a file, or - for stdin
--eo-password-hint string	Hint shown to password-protected recipients
--expires string	Self-destruct after DURATION (e.g. 7d, 24h), or never
--from string	Address to send from, by email or ID (default: your primary)
--html	Compose in HTML (default: match the original)
--no-attachments	Leave the original’s attachments behind
--no-quote	Do not quote the original message
--no-signature	Leave out this address’s signature and Proton’s footer
--request-receipt	Ask the recipients to confirm when they read it
--send-at string	Schedule delivery (RFC 3339, or YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM in the zone you are working in)
--to stringArray	Recipient (repeatable; accepts “Name ”)

get

Show a whole thread, decrypted.

While mail settings set image-proxy is on, links come without their tracking and each message’s Links line counts the ones that had some. --render raw prints the bodies as they were sent.

proton mail conversations get REF

proton mail conversations get 'Quarterly numbers'
proton mail conversations get 5bH2mQxK --summary

Flag	Description
--body-only	Emit only the bodies, with no headers or dividers
--include-inline	List inline attachments too
--render string	Which representation of the body to print: text, html, raw (default text)
--strip-quotes	Drop quoted reply blocks from each body
--summary	One line per message instead of the full thread

label

Attach a label to threads.

proton mail conversations label [REF...]

proton mail conversations label 'Quarterly numbers' --label Accounting

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--label string	The label to attach or detach, by name or ID
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

list

List threads in a folder.

Takes the same filters as the verbs that organise threads, so you can preview a selection here before acting on it. A text filter goes through Proton’s own index, which lags a change by a few seconds, or through the copy index create mail builds, which also reads bodies.

Looks in the inbox unless told otherwise. Use –folder all to search everything, or everything but spam and trash while almost-all-mail is on.

Newest first, or largest first with –sort size; –desc reverses either.

proton mail conversations list

proton mail conversations list
proton mail conversations list --unread --folder inbox
proton mail conversations list --from jane@example.com --folder all
proton mail conversations list --has-attachments --folder all
proton mail conversations list --sort size --desc

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--desc	Reverse the order
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: inbox)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	How many threads per page; 0 for all of them (default 25)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--page int	Which page of results, counting from zero
--read	Match read messages
--sort string	Order by: time, size (default time)
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

mark

Set whether threads count as read.

Holds read and unread.

mark read

Mark threads as read.

proton mail conversations mark read [REF...]

proton mail conversations mark read 'Quarterly numbers'
proton mail conversations mark read --folder inbox --all

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

mark unread

Mark threads as unread.

proton mail conversations mark unread [REF...]

proton mail conversations mark unread 'Quarterly numbers'

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

move

Move threads to a folder.

proton mail conversations move [REF...]

proton mail conversations move 'Quarterly numbers' --into archive
proton mail conversations move --older-than 90d --folder inbox --into archive

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--into string	Destination folder, by name or ID
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

reply

Reply to the newest message in a thread.

proton mail conversations reply REF

proton mail conversations reply 'Quarterly numbers' --body 'Looks right to me.'
proton mail conversations reply 'Quarterly numbers' --everyone --body Agreed.

Flag	Description
--attach stringArray	File to attach (repeatable)
--attach-inline stringArray	Image to embed in the HTML body by Content-ID (repeatable; needs –html)
--bcc stringArray	Blind-carbon-copy recipient (repeatable)
--body string	Your text, placed above the quoted original (- reads stdin)
--cc stringArray	Carbon-copy recipient (repeatable)
--draft	Save as a draft instead of sending
--eo-password-file string	Read the password for recipients outside Proton from a file, or - for stdin
--eo-password-hint string	Hint shown to password-protected recipients
--everyone	Reply to everyone who was on the message, not just the sender
--expires string	Self-destruct after DURATION (e.g. 7d, 24h), or never
--from string	Address to send from, by email or ID (default: your primary)
--html	Compose in HTML (default: match the original)
--no-quote	Do not quote the original message
--no-signature	Leave out this address’s signature and Proton’s footer
--request-receipt	Ask the recipients to confirm when they read it
--send-at string	Schedule delivery (RFC 3339, or YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM in the zone you are working in)
--to stringArray	Recipient (repeatable; accepts “Name ”)

snooze

Take threads out of the inbox until later.

–until takes a duration from now, such as 3d, or a moment written out in full, such as 2026-04-17T09:00. The thread returns to the inbox then, unread.

proton mail conversations snooze [REF...]

proton mail conversations snooze 5bH2mQxK --until 3d
proton mail conversations snooze --unread --until 2026-04-17T09:00

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--until string	When they come back (e.g. 3d, or 2026-04-17T09:00)
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

star

Star threads.

proton mail conversations star [REF...]

proton mail conversations star 'Quarterly numbers'

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

trash

Move threads to the trash.

proton mail conversations trash [REF...]

proton mail conversations trash 'Quarterly numbers'
proton mail conversations trash --from newsletter@example.com --older-than 90d

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

unlabel

Detach a label from threads.

proton mail conversations unlabel [REF...]

proton mail conversations unlabel 'Quarterly numbers' --label Accounting

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--label string	The label to attach or detach, by name or ID
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

unsnooze

Bring snoozed threads back to the inbox now.

proton mail conversations unsnooze [REF...]

proton mail conversations unsnooze 5bH2mQxK

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

unstar

Remove the star from threads.

proton mail conversations unstar [REF...]

proton mail conversations unstar 'Quarterly numbers'

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

update

Change when threads delete themselves.

–expires takes a duration, or never to stop them expiring. It applies to every message in each thread, or with –folder to the ones in that folder. A message whose sender set its expiry keeps it, and none is set in trash or spam.

proton mail conversations update [REF...]

proton mail conversations update 'Quarterly numbers' --expires 7d
proton mail conversations update --folder archive --older-than 1y --expires 30d
proton mail conversations update 5bH2mQxK --expires never

Flag	Description
--after string	First day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--all	Act on everything in scope, rather than a subset
--before string	Last day to include (YYYY-MM-DD)
--expires string	Delete them after DURATION (e.g. 7d, 24h), or never
--folder string	Folder or label to look in (default: all)
--from string	Match the sender’s address
--has-attachments	Match messages with attachments
--keyword string	Match text in the subject, a name or an address, and in bodies once a mail index exists
--limit int	Most messages to affect; 0 for no cap (default 150)
--newer-than string	Match messages newer than DURATION
--older-than string	Match messages older than DURATION (e.g. 30d, 2w, 1h)
--password-file string	Read the account password from a file, or - for stdin
--read	Match read messages
--starred	Match starred messages
--subject string	Match text in the subject
--to string	Match a recipient’s address
--totp string	Two-factor code
--unread	Match unread messages
--via string	Match mail that arrived at, or left from, this address of yours

---

Every command also takes the flags that work everywhere.