AGE-INSPECT(1) User Commands AGE-INSPECT(1)
age-inspect - inspect age(1) encrypted files
age-inspect [--json] [INPUT]
age-inspect reads an age(1) encrypted file from INPUT (or standard
input) and displays metadata about it without decrypting.
This includes the recipient types, whether it uses post-quantum
encryption, and a size breakdown of the file components.
--json Output machine-readable JSON instead of human-readable text.
--version
Print the version and exit.
When --json is specified, the output is a JSON object with these
fields:
O version: The age format version (e.g., "age-encryption.org/v1").
O postquantum: Whether the file uses post-quantum encryption:
"yes", "no", or "unknown".
O armor: Boolean indicating whether the file is ASCII-armored.
O stanza_types: Array of recipient stanza type strings (e.g.,
["X25519"] or ["mlkem768x25519"]).
O sizes: Object containing size information in bytes:
O header: Size of the age header.
O armor: Armor encoding overhead (0 if not armored).
O overhead: Stream encryption overhead.
O min_payload, max_payload: Payload size bounds (currently always
matching).
O min_padding, max_padding: Padding size bounds (currently always
0).
The fields add up to the total size of the file.
Inspect an encrypted file:
$ age-inspect secrets.age
secrets.age is an age file, version "age-encryption.org/v1".
This file is encrypted to the following recipient types:
- "mlkem768x25519"
This file uses post-quantum encryption.
Size breakdown (assuming it decrypts successfully):
Header 1627 bytes
Encryption overhead 32 bytes
Payload 42 bytes
-------------------
Total 1701 bytes
Tip: for machine-readable output, use --json.
Get JSON output for scripting:
$ age-inspect --json secrets.age
{
"version": "age-encryption.org/v1",
"postquantum": "yes",
"armor": false,
"stanza_types": [
"mlkem768x25519"
],
"sizes": {
"header": 1627,
"armor": 0,
"overhead": 32,
"min_payload": 42,
"max_payload": 42,
"min_padding": 0,
"max_padding": 0
}
}
age(1), age-keygen(1)
Filippo Valsorda age@filippo.io
December 2025 AGE-INSPECT(1)
NAME
age-inspect - inspect age(1) encrypted files
SYNOPSIS
age-inspect [--json] [INPUT]
DESCRIPTION
age-inspect reads an age(1) encrypted file from INPUT (or standard
input) and displays metadata about it without decrypting.
This includes the recipient types, whether it uses post-quantum
encryption, and a size breakdown of the file components.
OPTIONS
--json Output machine-readable JSON instead of human-readable text.
--version
Print the version and exit.
JSON FORMAT
When --json is specified, the output is a JSON object with these
fields:
O version: The age format version (e.g., "age-encryption.org/v1").
O postquantum: Whether the file uses post-quantum encryption:
"yes", "no", or "unknown".
O armor: Boolean indicating whether the file is ASCII-armored.
O stanza_types: Array of recipient stanza type strings (e.g.,
["X25519"] or ["mlkem768x25519"]).
O sizes: Object containing size information in bytes:
O header: Size of the age header.
O armor: Armor encoding overhead (0 if not armored).
O overhead: Stream encryption overhead.
O min_payload, max_payload: Payload size bounds (currently always
matching).
O min_padding, max_padding: Padding size bounds (currently always
0).
The fields add up to the total size of the file.
EXAMPLES
Inspect an encrypted file:
$ age-inspect secrets.age
secrets.age is an age file, version "age-encryption.org/v1".
This file is encrypted to the following recipient types:
- "mlkem768x25519"
This file uses post-quantum encryption.
Size breakdown (assuming it decrypts successfully):
Header 1627 bytes
Encryption overhead 32 bytes
Payload 42 bytes
-------------------
Total 1701 bytes
Tip: for machine-readable output, use --json.
Get JSON output for scripting:
$ age-inspect --json secrets.age
{
"version": "age-encryption.org/v1",
"postquantum": "yes",
"armor": false,
"stanza_types": [
"mlkem768x25519"
],
"sizes": {
"header": 1627,
"armor": 0,
"overhead": 32,
"min_payload": 42,
"max_payload": 42,
"min_padding": 0,
"max_padding": 0
}
}
SEE ALSO
age(1), age-keygen(1)
AUTHORS
Filippo Valsorda age@filippo.io
December 2025 AGE-INSPECT(1)