# Forward Email

> Forward Email's webmail in the terminal: mail, calendar, contacts and settings, with mouse support and a key hint bar.

The forwardemail command runs the same application as Forward Email's webmail inside a terminal, drawn as text. Mail, calendar, contacts, tasks and settings all work, with keyboard shortcuts, mouse clicks and scrolling, and plain-text reading and writing by default. It installs as one standalone executable on Linux, macOS and Windows, or from npm anywhere Node.js 22 runs. It signs in to Forward Email accounts, including self-hosted servers.

- Type: Email client
- Interface: Full-screen terminal interface
- Systems: Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows and BSD, on Android through Termux.
- Language: TypeScript
- License: Business Source License 1.1 (BUSL-1.1)
- Latest version: 0.14.16
- Background: The webmail at mail.forwardemail.net, built for the terminal
- Maintained: yes
- Website: https://forwardemail.net/
- Source: https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net
- Documentation: https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net/blob/main/cli/README.md

## Install

### Linux

Native. Standalone builds for x64 and arm64 need glibc. On musl systems such as Alpine Linux, install with npm.

- install script: `curl -fsSL https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net/releases/latest/download/install.sh | sh`
- npm: `npm install -g forwardemail`

### macOS

Native. Standalone builds for Apple Silicon and Intel.

- install script: `curl -fsSL https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net/releases/latest/download/install.sh | sh`
- npm: `npm install -g forwardemail`

### Windows

Native. Signed standalone builds for x64 and arm64. Windows Terminal is recommended over the legacy console.

- PowerShell: `irm https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net/releases/latest/download/install.ps1 | iex`
- npm: `npm install -g forwardemail`

### BSD

Native. Through npm, which runs anywhere Node.js 22 or later does.

- npm: `npm install -g forwardemail`

### Android

Through Termux. Through npm in Termux, which packages Node.js 24 and later. Not tested by the project.

- Termux: `pkg install nodejs && npm install -g forwardemail`

## Protocols

Connects through: Forward Email API over HTTPS, with new mail over WebSocket

Accounts: A Forward Email account with a mailbox (paid plans start at $3 a month). forwardemail --demo opens a demo account with no sign-in.

## Features

- OpenPGP: Yes
- S/MIME: No
- OAuth2 sign-in: No
- Threads: Yes
- Search: built-in, across messages, contacts and events
- HTML mail: shown as formatted text with links; plain text by default
- Mouse: Yes
- Multiple accounts: Yes
- Offline use: drafts and changes made offline are sent when the connection returns
- Calendar: Yes
- Contacts: Yes
- Vim-style keys: No
- Configuration: settings screens, keyboard shortcut editor and an optional user.css

## Pros

- Calendar, contacts and tasks in the same terminal app as mail
- Mouse clicks, scrolling and text selection work, and the bottom row always shows the keys for the current screen
- One self-updating executable with no setup files to write

## Cons

- Only works with Forward Email accounts
- Images and video are not drawn; HTML mail is shown as text with links
- Passkey sign-in needs a browser or the desktop app

## Install and run

```
# macOS and Linux
curl -fsSL https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net/releases/latest/download/install.sh | sh

# Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net/releases/latest/download/install.ps1 | iex

# Any system with Node.js 22 or later
npm install -g forwardemail

forwardemail            # sign in and read your mail
forwardemail --demo     # try it with sample data, no account needed
```

## Questions

### Does Forward Email work on Windows?

Yes, it runs natively on Windows. Signed standalone builds for x64 and arm64. Windows Terminal is recommended over the legacy console.

### Does Forward Email support IMAP?

No. It connects to Forward Email over its API. For IMAP, use another client on this site with Forward Email's IMAP settings.

### Is Forward Email open source?

Its source code is public under the Business Source License 1.1, which is source-available rather than open source.

### Do I need a Forward Email account?

Yes, to read your own mail. A Forward Email account with a mailbox (paid plans start at $3 a month). forwardemail --demo opens a demo account with no sign-in.

## Sources

- https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net/blob/main/cli/README.md
- https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net/blob/main/LICENSE.md
- https://www.npmjs.com/package/forwardemail
- https://forwardemail.net/en/pricing
- https://github.com/termux/termux-packages/tree/master/packages/nodejs