postqueue(1)
List, flush, or manage the Postfix mail queue.
Synopsis
postqueue [-v] [-c config_dir] -p
postqueue [-v] [-c config_dir] -i queue_id
postqueue [-v] [-c config_dir] -s site_name
postqueue [-v] [-c config_dir] -f [queue_id]Description
The postqueue command controls the Postfix mail queue. It can display pending mail, delete specific messages, or flush the entire queue to force delivery attempts. Only the mail system administrator and the queue owner can use this command.
Without arguments, postqueue -p lists all queued messages. The -f flag attempts immediate delivery of queued messages. Use -i to delete individual messages by queue ID.
Common options
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
-p | Print a list of all queued messages with their status and size |
-f | Flush the queue, forcing delivery attempts for all pending mail |
-f queue_id | Requeue a specific message by its queue ID |
-i queue_id | Delete a specific message from the queue (requires postfix stop first) |
-s site_name | Flush mail destined for a specific site |
-c config_dir | Use an alternate Postfix configuration directory |
-v | Enable verbose output, showing more details during operations |
Examples
Display all queued messages with their IDs, sizes, sender, and recipient
postqueue -pAttempt immediate delivery of all queued messages
postqueue -fRequeue a specific message by its ID to retry delivery
postqueue -f 3C26D12345Flush all mail destined for the example.com domain
postqueue -f example.comDelete a specific queued message (Postfix must be stopped first)
sudo postfix stop && sudo postqueue -i 3C26D12345 && sudo postfix startList only queued messages for a specific recipient
postqueue -p | grep [email protected]