1. age-inspect(1)
3. 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:

• version: The age format version (e.g., "age-encryption.org/v1").

• postquantum: Whether the file uses post-quantum encryption: "yes", "no", or "unknown".

• armor: Boolean indicating whether the file is ASCII-armored.

• stanza_types: Array of recipient stanza type strings (e.g., ["X25519"] or ["mlkem768x25519"]).

• sizes: Object containing size information in bytes:

  • header: Size of the age header.
  • armor: Armor encoding overhead (0 if not armored).
  • overhead: Stream encryption overhead.
  • min_payload, max_payload: Payload size bounds (currently always matching).
  • 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

2. December 2025
3. age-inspect(1)