IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol — it’s one of the main email protocols used to receive and manage emails from a mail server.
Here’s a clear explanation 👇
📬 What IMAP Does
IMAP allows you to access and read your email directly from the mail server without downloading it permanently to your device.
That means:
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Your emails stay stored on the mail server.
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Any changes you make (like reading, deleting, or moving a message) are synced across all devices.
💡 Example
Suppose you use Gmail on:
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your laptop,
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your phone, and
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your tablet.
If you read or delete an email on your phone, IMAP updates that change on the server — so the same email appears as read or deleted on all your devices automatically.
⚙️ Technical Details
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Port numbers:
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IMAP (unencrypted):
143 -
IMAPS (secure, encrypted with SSL/TLS):
993
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Protocol: Works over TCP/IP
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Common server names:
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Gmail:
imap.gmail.com -
Outlook:
outlook.office365.com
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📦 Benefits of IMAP
✅ Access your emails from multiple devices
✅ Keeps emails backed up on the server
✅ Folder organization syncs across all devices
✅ Works well for webmail (like Gmail or Outlook.com)
⚠️ Compared to POP3
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where emails are stored | On the server | On your device |
| Sync across devices | Yes | No |
| Offline access | Partial | Full (after download) |
| Best for | Multi-device users | Single-device users |
So in short:
IMAP is the protocol that keeps your email inbox in sync everywhere — phone, laptop, or web.