# Terminal email clients for Windows

Forward Email, Alpine, Gnus, Himalaya and Matcha run natively on Windows. 12 other clients run in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). meli and nmail are not available for Windows. WSL runs a real Linux system next to Windows: run wsl --install in an administrator PowerShell, restart, open Ubuntu from the Start menu and install the client with apt. Use Windows Terminal rather than the legacy console, for correct colors and box-drawing characters.

## Clients

| Client | Windows | Install |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Forward Email](https://terminalemail.com/clients/forward-email/index.md) | Native | `irm https://github.com/forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net/releases/latest/download/install.ps1 \| iex` |
| [aerc](https://terminalemail.com/clients/aerc/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install aerc` |
| [alot](https://terminalemail.com/clients/alot/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install alot` |
| [Alpine](https://terminalemail.com/clients/alpine/index.md) | Native | `Download alpine-2.26.zip from https://alpineapp.email/alpine/release/` |
| [Cone](https://terminalemail.com/clients/cone/index.md) | Through WSL |  |
| [Gnus](https://terminalemail.com/clients/gnus/index.md) | Native | `winget install GNU.Emacs` |
| [Himalaya](https://terminalemail.com/clients/himalaya/index.md) | Native | `scoop install himalaya` |
| [Matcha](https://terminalemail.com/clients/matcha/index.md) | Native | `winget install --id=floatpane.matcha` |
| [mblaze](https://terminalemail.com/clients/mblaze/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install mblaze` |
| [mu4e](https://terminalemail.com/clients/mu4e/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install mu4e isync` |
| [Mutt](https://terminalemail.com/clients/mutt/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install mutt` |
| [NeoMutt](https://terminalemail.com/clients/neomutt/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install neomutt` |
| [nmh](https://terminalemail.com/clients/nmh/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install nmh` |
| [Notmuch Emacs interface](https://terminalemail.com/clients/notmuch-emacs/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install elpa-notmuch isync msmtp` |
| [S-nail](https://terminalemail.com/clients/s-nail/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install s-nail` |
| [Sup](https://terminalemail.com/clients/sup/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install sup-mail` |
| [Wanderlust](https://terminalemail.com/clients/wanderlust/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install wl` |

## Mail tools

| Client | Windows | Install |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [getmail6](https://terminalemail.com/tools/getmail6/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install getmail6` |
| [isync](https://terminalemail.com/tools/isync/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install isync` |
| [msmtp](https://terminalemail.com/tools/msmtp/index.md) | Native | `pacman -S mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-msmtp` |
| [mutt-wizard](https://terminalemail.com/tools/mutt-wizard/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install mutt-wizard` |
| [notmuch](https://terminalemail.com/tools/notmuch/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install notmuch` |
| [OfflineIMAP](https://terminalemail.com/tools/offlineimap/index.md) | Through WSL | `sudo apt install offlineimap3` |
| [Pop](https://terminalemail.com/tools/pop/index.md) | Native | `winget install charmbracelet.pop` |

## Questions

### Which terminal email clients run on Windows?

17 clients run on Windows (5 natively): Forward Email, aerc, alot, Alpine, Cone, Gnus, Himalaya, Matcha, mblaze, mu4e, Mutt, NeoMutt, nmh, Notmuch Emacs interface, S-nail, Sup and Wanderlust.

### Do I need WSL?

Only for clients without a native build. Forward Email, Alpine, Gnus, Himalaya and Matcha install directly on Windows; the rest need WSL.

### Which Windows clients have built-in IMAP?

aerc, Alpine, Cone, Gnus, Himalaya, Matcha, Mutt, NeoMutt, S-nail and Wanderlust. The others read local mail that a sync tool such as isync keeps up to date, or, for Forward Email's app, connect through its API.

### Does Forward Email work on Windows?

Yes. Its terminal app has a standalone build, and every other client on this page can use a Forward Email mailbox over IMAP and SMTP, directly or through a sync tool.