OS Manuals

/usr/bin/import

ImageMagick® is a free, open-source software suite, used for editing and manipulating digital images.

From imagemagick-7 7.1.2.35-r0 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running import -help (exit 0). permalink

Also provided by 1 other package version
Version: ImageMagick 7.1.2-35 Q16-HDRI x86_64 acaf7e418:20261031 https://imagemagick.org
Copyright: (C) 1999 ImageMagick Studio LLC
License: https://imagemagick.org/license/
Features: Cipher DPC HDRI OpenMP
Delegates (built-in): bzlib fontconfig freetype heic jng jp2 jpeg lcms lzma pangocairo png tiff webp x xml zlib zstd
Compiler: gcc (16.2)
Usage: import [options ...] [ file ]

Image Settings:
  -adjoin              join images into a single multi-image file
  -border              include window border in the output image
  -channel type        apply option to select image channels
  -colorspace type     alternate image colorspace
  -comment string      annotate image with comment
  -compress type       type of pixel compression when writing the image
  -define format:option
                       define one or more image format options
  -density geometry    horizontal and vertical density of the image
  -depth value         image depth
  -descend             obtain image by descending window hierarchy
  -display server      X server to contact
  -dispose method      layer disposal method
  -dither method       apply error diffusion to image
  -delay value         display the next image after pausing
  -encipher filename   convert plain pixels to cipher pixels
  -endian type         endianness (MSB or LSB) of the image
  -encoding type       text encoding type
  -filter type         use this filter when resizing an image
  -format "string"     output formatted image characteristics
  -frame               include window manager frame
  -gravity direction   which direction to gravitate towards
  -identify            identify the format and characteristics of the image
  -interlace type      None, Line, Plane, or Partition
  -interpolate method  pixel color interpolation method
  -label string        assign a label to an image
  -limit type value    Area, Disk, Map, or Memory resource limit
  -monitor             monitor progress
  -page geometry       size and location of an image canvas
  -pause seconds       seconds delay between snapshots
  -pointsize value     font point size
  -quality value       JPEG/MIFF/PNG compression level
  -quiet               suppress all warning messages
  -regard-warnings     pay attention to warning messages
  -repage geometry     size and location of an image canvas
  -respect-parentheses settings remain in effect until parenthesis boundary
  -sampling-factor geometry
                       horizontal and vertical sampling factor
  -scene value         image scene number
  -screen              select image from root window
  -seed value          seed a new sequence of pseudo-random numbers
  -set property value  set an image property
  -silent              operate silently, i.e. don't ring any bells
  -snaps value         number of screen snapshots
  -support factor      resize support: > 1.0 is blurry, < 1.0 is sharp
  -synchronize         synchronize image to storage device
  -taint               declare the image as modified
  -transparent-color color
                       transparent color
  -treedepth value     color tree depth
  -verbose             print detailed information about the image
  -virtual-pixel method
                       Constant, Edge, Mirror, or Tile
  -window id           select window with this id or name
                       root selects whole screen

Image Operators:
  -annotate geometry text
                       annotate the image with text
  -colors value        preferred number of colors in the image
  -crop geometry       preferred size and location of the cropped image
  -encipher filename   convert plain pixels to cipher pixels
  -extent geometry     set the image size
  -geometry geometry   preferred size or location of the image
  -help                print program options
  -monochrome          transform image to black and white
  -negate              replace every pixel with its complementary color
  -quantize colorspace reduce colors in this colorspace
  -resize geometry     resize the image
  -rotate degrees      apply Paeth rotation to the image
  -strip               strip image of all profiles and comments
  -thumbnail geometry  create a thumbnail of the image
  -transparent color   make this color transparent within the image
  -trim                trim image edges
  -type type           image type

Miscellaneous Options:
  -debug events        display copious debugging information
  -help                print program options
  -list type           print a list of supported option arguments
  -log format          format of debugging information
  -version             print version information

By default, 'file' is written in the MIFF image format.  To
specify a particular image format, precede the filename with an image
format name and a colon (i.e. ps:image) or specify the image type as
the filename suffix (i.e. image.ps).  Specify 'file' as '-' for
standard input or output.
Options (67)
OptionDescriptionSource
-adjoinjoin images into a single multi-image filehelp
-borderinclude window border in the output imagehelp
-channel typeapply option to select image channelshelp
-colorspace typealternate image colorspacehelp
-comment stringannotate image with commenthelp
-compress typetype of pixel compression when writing the imagehelp
-define format:optiondefine one or more image format optionshelp
-density geometryhorizontal and vertical density of the imagehelp
-depth valueimage depthhelp
-descendobtain image by descending window hierarchyhelp
-display serverX server to contacthelp
-dispose methodlayer disposal methodhelp
-dither methodapply error diffusion to imagehelp
-delay valuedisplay the next image after pausinghelp
-encipher filenameconvert plain pixels to cipher pixelshelp
-endian typeendianness (MSB or LSB) of the imagehelp
-encoding typetext encoding typehelp
-filter typeuse this filter when resizing an imagehelp
-format "string"output formatted image characteristicshelp
-frameinclude window manager framehelp
-gravity directionwhich direction to gravitate towardshelp
-identifyidentify the format and characteristics of the imagehelp
-interlace typeNone, Line, Plane, or Partitionhelp
-interpolate methodpixel color interpolation methodhelp
-label stringassign a label to an imagehelp
-limit typeArea, Disk, Map, or Memory resource limithelp
-monitormonitor progresshelp
-page geometrysize and location of an image canvashelp
-pause secondsseconds delay between snapshotshelp
-pointsize valuefont point sizehelp
-quality valueJPEG/MIFF/PNG compression levelhelp
-quietsuppress all warning messageshelp
-regard-warningspay attention to warning messageshelp
-repage geometrysize and location of an image canvashelp
-sampling-factor geometryhorizontal and vertical sampling factorhelp
-scene valueimage scene numberhelp
-screenselect image from root windowhelp
-seed valueseed a new sequence of pseudo-random numbershelp
-set propertyset an image propertyhelp
-silentoperate silently, i.e. don't ring any bellshelp
-snaps valuenumber of screen snapshotshelp
-support factorresize support: > 1.0 is blurry, < 1.0 is sharphelp
-synchronizesynchronize image to storage devicehelp
-taintdeclare the image as modifiedhelp
-transparent-color colortransparent colorhelp
-treedepth valuecolor tree depthhelp
-verboseprint detailed information about the imagehelp
-virtual-pixel methodConstant, Edge, Mirror, or Tilehelp
-window idselect window with this id or name root selects whole screenhelp
-colors valuepreferred number of colors in the imagehelp
-crop geometrypreferred size and location of the cropped imagehelp
-extent geometryset the image sizehelp
-geometry geometrypreferred size or location of the imagehelp
-helpprint program optionshelp
-monochrometransform image to black and whitehelp
-negatereplace every pixel with its complementary colorhelp
-resize geometryresize the imagehelp
-rotate degreesapply Paeth rotation to the imagehelp
-stripstrip image of all profiles and commentshelp
-thumbnail geometrycreate a thumbnail of the imagehelp
-transparent colormake this color transparent within the imagehelp
-trimtrim image edgeshelp
-type typeimage typehelp
-debug eventsdisplay copious debugging informationhelp
-list typeprint a list of supported option argumentshelp
-log formatformat of debugging informationhelp
-versionprint version informationhelp

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.