# Function: generalVerify()

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## Call Signature

▸ **generalVerify**(`jws`, `key`, `options?`): [`Promise`](https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Promise)\<[`GeneralVerifyResult`](../../../../types/interfaces/GeneralVerifyResult.md)\>

Verifies the signature and format of and afterwards decodes the General JWS.

This function is exported (as a named export) from the main `'jose'` module entry point as well
as from its subpath export `'jose/jws/general/verify'`.

> [!NOTE]\
> The function iterates over the `signatures` array in the General JWS and returns the verification
> result of the first signature entry that can be successfully verified. The result only contains
> the payload, protected header, and unprotected header of that successfully verified signature
> entry. Other signature entries in the General JWS are not validated, and their headers are not
> included in the returned result. Recipients of a General JWS should only rely on the returned
> (verified) data.

### Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Description |
| ------ | ------ | ------ |
| `jws` | [`GeneralJWSInput`](../../../../types/interfaces/GeneralJWSInput.md) | General JWS. |
| `key` | [`Uint8Array`](https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Uint8Array) \| [`CryptoKey`](https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/API/CryptoKey) \| [`JWK`](../../../../types/interfaces/JWK.md) \| [`KeyObject`](../../../../types/interfaces/KeyObject.md) | Key to verify the JWS with. See [Algorithm Key Requirements](https://github.com/panva/jose/issues/210#jws-alg). |
| `options?` | [`VerifyOptions`](../../../../types/interfaces/VerifyOptions.md) | JWS Verify options. |

### Returns

[`Promise`](https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Promise)\<[`GeneralVerifyResult`](../../../../types/interfaces/GeneralVerifyResult.md)\>

### Example

```js
const jws = {
  payload: 'SXTigJlzIGEgZGFuZ2Vyb3VzIGJ1c2luZXNzLCBGcm9kbywgZ29pbmcgb3V0IHlvdXIgZG9vci4',
  signatures: [
    {
      signature:
        'FVVOXwj6kD3DqdfD9yYqfT2W9jv-Nop4kOehp_DeDGNB5dQNSPRvntBY6xH3uxlCxE8na9d_kyhYOcanpDJ0EA',
      protected: 'eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiJ9',
    },
  ],
}

const { payload, protectedHeader } = await jose.generalVerify(jws, publicKey)

console.log(protectedHeader)
console.log(new TextDecoder().decode(payload))
```

## Call Signature

▸ **generalVerify**(`jws`, `getKey`, `options?`): [`Promise`](https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Promise)\<[`GeneralVerifyResult`](../../../../types/interfaces/GeneralVerifyResult.md) & [`ResolvedKey`](../../../../types/interfaces/ResolvedKey.md)\>

### Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Description |
| ------ | ------ | ------ |
| `jws` | [`GeneralJWSInput`](../../../../types/interfaces/GeneralJWSInput.md) | General JWS. |
| `getKey` | [`GeneralVerifyGetKey`](../interfaces/GeneralVerifyGetKey.md) | Function resolving a key to verify the JWS with. See [Algorithm Key Requirements](https://github.com/panva/jose/issues/210#jws-alg). |
| `options?` | [`VerifyOptions`](../../../../types/interfaces/VerifyOptions.md) | JWS Verify options. |

### Returns

[`Promise`](https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Promise)\<[`GeneralVerifyResult`](../../../../types/interfaces/GeneralVerifyResult.md) & [`ResolvedKey`](../../../../types/interfaces/ResolvedKey.md)\>