Import from any IMAP server

Any mailbox you can open in a mail app over IMAP can be imported, as long as the server is reachable from the internet and uses an encrypted connection. Your old provider's help pages usually list the settings under "IMAP", "mail app settings" or "manual setup".

What you needCopy Anchor Link

• IMAP server: the old provider's incoming mail server name, often something like imap.example.com.
• Port: 993 (TLS, the usual one) or 143 with STARTTLS. We only connect with encryption: a server that offers neither isn't supported.
• User name: usually your full email address at the old provider.
• App password: if the provider offers app passwords, make one for the import. If it doesn't, your usual mail password may work, as long as the provider lets mail apps sign in with it.

Start the importCopy Anchor Link

1. In the console, open Import mail and choose New import.
2. Under Provider, choose Other IMAP server.
3. Type the IMAP server and pick the Port, either 993 (TLS) or the STARTTLS one, 143.
4. Type the User name and App password, check the options, and choose Start import.

The import first checks the old mailbox (Checking the old mailbox): it signs in, lists the folders and works out whether everything fits. Then it starts Copying. See Move your mail here for the options, what's copied and how to follow it.

How folders are matchedCopy Anchor Link

Most servers say which folder is Sent, Drafts, Junk, Deleted items and Archive, and we put each one in the matching folder here. When a server doesn't say, we recognise the common names for them in many languages. Every other folder keeps its name and its place in the folder list. A folder whose name contains a slash (/) gets a dash (-) instead.

If the old mailbox has a very deep or very long folder list, the deepest levels are joined into their parent folder's name ("Parent - Child"), and folders past the most a mailbox can hold go into one folder named Imported.

If it doesn't startCopy Anchor Link

The import page says Needs you with the reason. The most common ones for other servers:

• The old provider refused the sign-in: the user name or password is wrong, or the provider doesn't let mail apps sign in with a password. Check the provider's help for app passwords or a setting that turns IMAP on.
• We couldn't reach the old server: check the server name and port. The server must be reachable from the internet: a server only on your home or office network can't be imported from.
• The old server's certificate didn't check out: the name you typed isn't the one on the server's certificate. Use the server name the provider publishes, not an address or another name for the same server.
• The old server didn't offer an encrypted connection: use port 993, or ask the provider to turn on STARTTLS.

Every reason and its fix is listed in When it says "Needs you".

Mailboxes you can't import yetCopy Anchor Link

Some providers only let other apps in through their own sign-in page, never with a password. We can't import from those yet: see Providers we can't import from yet.