General

These key bindings will work on almost any menu you are in.

command description
* Move to last entry
= Move to first entry
: Enter muttrc command
> Scroll down one line
< Scroll up one line
[ Scroll up half a page
] Scroll down half a page
? Help
; Apply next function to tagged messages only
! Invoke command in subshell
return Select the current entry
esc + / Search up
/ Search down
H Move to top of page
j Move to next entry
k Move to previous entry
ctrl + l Redraw screen
L Move to bottom of page
M Move to middle of page
n Move to next match of search
q Exit menu
t Tag current entry
z Move to next page
Z Move to previous page

Index Menu

When you first open mutt you are in the index menu.

command description  
& Link tagged message to current one  
# Break the thread in two  
% Toggle whether mailbox will be rewritten  
. List mailboxes with new mail  
$ Save changes to mailbox, apply the flags such as delete mail mark with D  
@ Display full address of sender  
    Pipe message to a shell command
esc + tab Jump to previous new or unread message  
return Display message  
tab Jump to next new or unread message  
a Create alias from message sender  
b Remail message to another user  
esc + c Open a different folder (Read Only)  
c Open a different folder  
esc + C Make text/plain copy  
C Copy message to another file/mailbox  
esc + d Delete all messages in subthread  
d Delete current message  
ctrl + D Delete all messages in thread  
D Delete messages matching a pattern  
esc + e Use the current message as a template for a new one  
e Edit the raw message  
ctrl + E Edit attachment content type  
f Forward message with comments  
ctrl + F Wipe passphrase from memory  
F Toggle the important flag for message  
g Reply to all  
G Retrive mail from POP server  
h Display message and toggle header weeding  
j Move to next undeleted message  
esc + k Mail a PGP key  
k Move to previous undeleted message  
ctrl + K Extract supported public keys  
esc + l Show current limit pattern  
l Only show messages matching a pattern  
L Reply to specific mailing list  
m Compose new message  
esc + n Jump to next subthread  
ctrl + N Jump to next thread  
N Toggle new flag  
o Sort messages  
O Sort messages in reverse order  
Q Query external program for addresses  
q Save changes to mailbox and quit  
r Reply to message  
ctrl + P Jump to previous thread  
esc + p Jump to previous subthread  
p Print current message  
esc + P Check for classic PGP  
P Jump to parent message in thread  
ctrl + R Mark current thread as read  
R Recall a postponed message  
esc + r Mark current subthread as read  
esc + s Save text/plain copy and delete  
s Save message/attachment to mailbox/file  
esc + t Tag current thread  
ctrl + T Untag messages matching a pattern  
T Tag messages matching pattern  
esc + u Undelete all messages in subthread  
u Undelete current entry  
ctrl + U Undelete all messages in thread  
U Undelete messages matching pattern  
esc + v Collapse/uncollapse current thread  
v Show mime attachments  
esc + V Collapse/uncollapse all threads  
V Show mutt version number and date  
w Set a status flag  
W Clear status flags from message  

Pager Menu

command description  
#    
a    
b    
c    
esc + c    
C    
esc + C    
d    
ctrl + D    
esc + d    
w    
W    
e    
ctrl + E    
f    
F    
g    
h    
j    
J    
k    
K    
&    
L    
ctrl + L    
m    
n    
N    
ctrl + N    
esc + n    
o    
O    
p    
ctrl + P    
esc + p    
Q    
q    
r    
R    
ctrl + R    
esc + r    
esc + e    
s    
S    
esc + s    
t    
T    
u    
esc + u    
ctrl + U    
v    
V    
\    
@    
     
?    
space    
^    
$    
!    
:    
.    
/    
esc + /    
return    
P    
esc + P    
esc + k    
ctrl + K    
ctrl + F    

Useful key remaps

These need to be placed in your muttrc file. I use vim and so I want to use some of the same commands to manage my mail.

# Does not replace and currently mapped keys and acts like the vim command gg and takes
# you to the top of the page
bind index gg first-entry

# Replaces the retrieval of mail from a POP server. This will take you to the bottom of
# the page, just like it does in vim
bind index G last-entry

Flags

When viewing messages in the index menu, you will see various flags such as N which mean the messages is new and D which means that the message is to be deleted. This is a short list of those flags.

flag description
! Message is flagged
* Message is tagged
+ Message is To: you and only you
C Message is Cc: to you
d Message has attachments marked for deletion
D Marked for deletion
F Message is From: you
K Contains PGP key
L Message is sent to a subscribed mailing list
n Thread contains new messages (Only when thread is collapsed)
N Message is new
o Thread contains old messages (Only when thread is collapsed)
O Message is old
P Message is PGP encrypted
r Message has been replied to
s Message is signed
S Message is signed and verified
T Message is to you and has others in To: or Cc: