# Send from CLI

You can use Bitwarden Send with command-line interface (CLI) commands. Because Send is a feature within the Bitwarden Password Manager, many of the commands, options, and concepts in the [Password Manager CLI documentation](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/cli/) are relevant here.

![Send's --help text ](https://bitwarden.com/assets/6hWfoRgu1yoyrXEB6JqN6E/03d8c4b1f11582f8d9141c3f2e0f4bd2/2026-02-27_11-28-26.png)
*Send's --help text *

## send

The `send` command is the master command used to access all Send-related subcommands:

```
bw send [options] [command] <data>
```

The `send` command can also be used as a shortcut to quickly `create` a Send, for example:

```
bw send "Fastest Send in the West."
```

will create a text Send with the contents `Fastest Send in the West.` and output the Send link. Or, for example:

```
bw send -f <path/to/file.ext>
```

will create a file Send with the specified file at the specified `path` and output the Send link.

**Options:**

- Use `-n <name>` or `--name <name>` to specify a name for the Send. If none is specified, name will default to the `id` for text Sends and file name for file Sends. For multi-word names, use quotations `"<name>"`.
- Use `-d <days>` or `--deleteInDays <days>` to specify a [deletion date](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-lifespan/#deletion-date/) for the Send (defaults to seven days if unspecified).
- Use `--maxAccessCount` or `-a` to specify the [maximum access count](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-lifespan/#maximum-access-count/) for the Send.
- Use `--hidden` to specify that a text Send require recipients to [toggle visibility](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-privacy/#hide-text/).
- Use `--notes <notes>` to add private notes to the Send. For multi-word notes, use quotations `"<notes>"`.
- Use `--fullObject` to output the full Send object as JSON rather than only the Send link (pair this option with the `--pretty` option for formatted JSON).

**Full example:**

```
bw send -n "My First Send" -d 7 --hidden "The contents of my first Send."
```

### create

The `create` command creates a Send. `create` allows more advanced configuration than using only `bw send` and takes encoded JSON for its argument:

```
bw send create [options] <encodedJson>
```

A typical workflow might look something like:

1. Use the `template` command (see [details](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-cli/#template/)) to output the appropriate JSON template for your Send type.
2. Use a [command-line JSON processor like jq](https://stedolan.github.io/jq/) to manipulate the outputted template as required.
3. Use the `encode` command (see [details](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/cli/#encode/)) to encode the manipulated JSON.
4. Use the `create` command to create a Send from the encoded JSON.

For example, to create a text Send:

```
bw send template send.text | jq '.name="My First Send" | .text.text="Secrets I want to share."' | bw encode | bw send create
```

For example, to create a password-protected file Send:

```
bw send template send.file | jq '.name="My File Send" | .type=1 | .file.fileName="paperwork.png" | .password="p@ssw0rd"' | bw encode | bw send create
```

For example, to create a password-protected file Send with an explicit [deletion date](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-lifespan/#deletion-date/). This example is broken out by operating system due to the way `.deletionDate=` should be specified:

### 🪟 Windows

```
$delDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(14) | date -UFormat "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ"

bw send template send.text | jq ".name=\`"My Send\`" | .text.text=\`"Secrets I want to share.\`" | .password=\`"password\`" | .deletionDate=\`"$delDate\`"" | bw encode | bw send create
```

Notice in this example that the jq invocation must be wrapped in double quotes (`" "`) and use escapes (`\`) for each filter due to a nested `date` variable that configures a `.deletionDate` in the send.

### 🍎 macOS

```
bw send template send.text | jq ".name=\"My Send\" | .text.text=\"Secrets I want to share.\" | .password=\"mypassword\" | .deletionDate=\"$(date -uv+14d +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")\"" | bw encode | bw send create
```

Notice in this example that the jq invocation must be wrapped in double quotes (`" "`) and use escapes (`\`) for each filter due to a nested `date` variable that configures a `.deletionDate` in the send.

### 🐧 Linux

```
bw send template send.text | jq ".name=\"My Send\" | .text.text=\"Secrets I want to share.\" | .password=\"mypassword\" | .deletionDate=\"$(date "+%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ" -d "+14 days")\"" | bw encode | bw send create
```

Notice in this example that the jq invocation must be wrapped in double quotes (`" "`) and use escapes (`\`) for each filter due to a nested `date` variable that configures a `.deletionDate` in the send.

**Options:**

- Use `--file <path>` to specify the file to Send (this can also be specified in encoded JSON).
- Use `--text <text>` to specify the text to Send (this can also be specified in encoded JSON).
- Use `--hidden` to specify that a text Send require recipients to [toggle visibility](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-privacy/#hide-text/).
- Use `--password <password>` to specify the password needed to access [password-protected](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-privacy/#send-passwords/).
- use `--emails <emails>` to specify the email addresses of recipients to enforce [email-verification](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-privacy/#email-verified-recipients/). This is a premium feature.
- Use `--fullObject` to output the full Send object as JSON rather than only the Send link (pair this option with the `--pretty` option for formatted JSON).

### get

The `get` command will retrieve a Send owned by you and output it as a JSON object. `get` takes an exact `id` value or any string for its argument. If you use a string, `get` will search your Sends for one with a value that matches:

```
bw send get [options] <id / string>
```

If you create a Send in another Bitwarden app while this session is still active, use the `bw sync` command to pull recent Sends. For more information, refer to our [CLI documentation](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/cli/).

**Options:**

- Use `--text` to output only the text contents of a text Send.
- Use `--file` to output only the file of a file Send. Pair `--file` with `--output` to specify a directory, or with `--raw` to output to stdout.
- Use `--output <output>` to specify the output directory for the `--file` option.

### edit

The `edit` command edits an existing Send. `edit` takes encoded JSON for its argument:

```
bw send edit <encodedJson>
```

A typical workflow might look something like:

1. Use the `get` command (see [details](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-cli/#get/)) to retrieve the desired Send according to its `<id>`.
2. Use a [command-line JSON processor like jq](https://stedolan.github.io/jq/) to manipulate the retrieved Send as required.
3. Use the `encode` command (see [details](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/cli/#encode/)) to encode the manipulated JSON.
4. Use the `edit` command to write the edits to the send.

For example:

```
bw send get <id> | jq '.name="New Name" | .password=null' | bw encode | bw send edit
```

**Options:**

- Use `--itemid <itemid>` to overwrite the id value provided of the Send with a new one.

> [!TIP] Can't edit a Send's file.
> You can't `edit` a file Send's file. To do this, you will need to delete the Send and re-create it with the appropriate file.

### list

The `list` command will list all Sends owned by you and output them as JSON:

```
bw send list [options]
```

If you create a Send in another Bitwarden app while this session is still active, use the `bw sync` command to pull recent sends. For more information, refer to our [CLI documentation](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/cli/).

**Options:**

- Use `--pretty` to format the JSON the output.
- Pipe stdout to a file using the `>` operator, for example:

```
bw send list --pretty > /Users/myaccount/Documents/pretty_list_of_sends.json
```

### delete

The `delete` command will delete a Send owned by you. `delete` takes only an exact `id` value for its argument.

```
bw send delete <id>
```

> [!TIP] Finding a Send's id.
> If you don't know the exact `id` of the Send you want to delete, use `bw send get <search term>` to find it.

### template

The `template` command returns the expected JSON formatting for a Send object. `template` takes an `<object>` specification for its argument, either `send.text` or `send.file`.

```
bw send template <object>
```

While you can use `template` to output the format to your screen, the most common use-case is to pipe the output into a `bw send create` operation, using a [command-line JSON processor like jq](https://stedolan.github.io/jq/) and `bw encode` to manipulate the values retrieved from the template, for example:

```
bw send template send.text | jq '.name="My First Send" | .text.text="Secrets I want to share."' | bw encode | bw send create
```

## receive

The `receive` command accesses a Send. `receive` takes a Send `<url>` for its argument:

```
bw send receive [options] <url>
```

- For text Sends, `receive` will return the text contents of the Send.
- For file Sends, `receive` will download the file to the current working directory.

**Options:**

- Use `--password <password>` to provide the password needed to access [password-protected](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-privacy/#send-passwords/) Sends as a string.
- Use `--passwordenv <passwordenv>` to specify the password needed to access [password-protected](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-privacy/#send-passwords/) Sends as a stored environment variable.
- Use `--passwordfile <passwordfile>` to specify the password needed to access [password-protected](https://bitwarden.com/fr-fr/help/send-privacy/#send-passwords/) Sends as a file with the password as its first line.
- Use `--obj` to output the full Send object as JSON rather than only the Send link (pair this option with the `--pretty` option for formatted JSON).
- Use `--ouput <output>` to specify the output directory for the contents of a file Send.

To receive a send that requires email-verification, you will be prompted to enter your email address, and then the verification code send to that email address. For example:

```bash
$ bw send receive <Send URL>
? Enter your email address:
? Enter the verification code send to your email:
```