How do I delete everything in /var/mail/username from the command line?

Question

As a result of a long-running cron job, I have over 1,000 messages in my user's mailbox. What's the easiest way to delete them?

James Henstridge · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-21 15:49:35Z

101

If you want to delete all the messages, you can simply truncate the mailbox file for a user with the following command:

> /var/mail/username

(the greater than sign is not a prompt: you are in effect redirecting the output of nothing to the file, which will truncate it).

answered Jun 21, 2011 at 15:49

James Henstridge

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vidarlo · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-15 17:09:16Z

14

Run mail in a terminal. Press d 1-. This will delete those messages.

Removing files for managing mail is like adjust the volume of your tv with a hammer. It may work, but it is not optimal and far too brutal.

answered Feb 15, 2017 at 17:09

vidarlo

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1

This is the correct answer. It also allows deleting just some emails, if it's unclear from the command. E.g. d 1-100 will delete the first 100 email messages.
– texnic
May 20, 2017 at 7:19
1

I had to install mailutils and then use d * on Ubuntu 12.04
– Leslie Viljoen
Jul 22, 2019 at 3:19
It was d * on centos 8 after installing mailx
– james-see
Jun 21, 2021 at 20:25
When I type mail, I get the message "No mail for <user>" and cannot access the mail console
– Aisteru Firë
Dec 4, 2022 at 14:43
@AisteruFirë What are you attempting to do? I have a feeling that you should ask a new question, where you explain in some more detail, because you probably don't want to delete mail.
– vidarlo
Dec 4, 2022 at 14:47

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