IMAP

IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol, and is an alternative to the POP protocol. It is a method of accessing email that is kept on a (possibly shared) mail server. In other words, it permits a "client" email program to access remotely stored messages as if they were local.

For example, email stored on an IMAP server can be manipulated from a desktop computer at home, a workstation at the office, and a notebook computer while traveling, without the need to transfer messages or files back and forth between these computers. All clients/devices will see the same folder structure, messages, and message flags because this information is kept on the server and synchronized when the client logs in.

NOTE: Some newer versions of well known email clients, like Thunderbird and Apple's Mail app, will now attempt to autodiscover the server settings when you set up a new account, but this does might work with Runbox. You might have to cancel this and click the option for Manual setup (you may have to click Cancel twice before this option appears).

IMAP setup information

• Incoming server type: IMAP
• Incoming mail server: imap.runbox.com
  • For secure, encrypted connections over SSL, use secure.runbox.com.
• IMAP server port number: 143
  • For TLS/SSL, use port 993.
• Outgoing mail server: Please see the SMTP help page.
• Username/password: Your Runbox login data.
  • For regular Runbox accounts, use only the "username" part of your "username@runbox.com" address.
  • For hosted domain accounts with addresses on the format "username@domain.com",
    use "username%domain.com" (Note the percent sign).
• Root folder path/IMAP server directory: INBOX
• Sent Items path: Sent (optional)
• Drafts path: Drafts *(NOTE: Drafts syncing via IMAP only works with Runbox 5)

Note for Apple Mail app users: In order to store Drafts and Sent mails on the server, you will need to select the server side Drafts and Sent folders one at a time, go to Mailbox => Use this folder for... in the Mail menu, and select Drafts and Sent respectively.

We recommend setting your client to check for new email less frequently than every 10 minutes to avoid slow responses from the server. Also, please avoid having your client synchronize all folders and messages every time, or configuring interactive searches.

If you experience connection problems, please see the Connection Problems page.

Setup guides

• IMAP for Apple Mail
• IMAP for Microsoft Outlook
• IMAP for Microsoft Outlook Express
• IMAP for Mozilla Thunderbird
• IMAP for Opera 9 Mail Client

Troubleshooting

• IMAP folders are missing in Outlook Express 4 (and higher) - see this Microsoft article:
  Missing Folders in Outlook Express

Email clients that support IMAP

• Outlook
• Outlook Express
• Opera Mail Client
• Mozilla Thunderbird
• Mac OS X for Apple
• Eudora
• Pegasus
• Mulberry
• Alpine
• Powermail 5 for Apple