OL2000: (IMO) Using an IMAP Server with Outlook

ID: Q185820

The information in this article applies to:
NOTE: These procedures only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Internet Mail Only option. To determine your installation type, on the Help menu click About Microsoft Outlook. In About Microsoft Outlook you should see "Internet Mail Only" if you have the Internet Mail Only option installed.

SUMMARY

Microsoft Outlook 98 supports the Internet Mail Access Protocol 4 (IMAP). This open Internet e-mail standard uses server-based mail storage. Because its storage is server-based, there are differences between it and other e- mail protocols. The following are the major differences.


MORE INFORMATION

No Non-mail Folders Can be Stored on an IMAP Server

Due to limitations of the IMAP protocol, as well as efficiency and interoperability concerns, Outlook does not allow non-mail folder storage on an IMAP server.

No Mail "Special Folder" Can be Stored on the IMAP Server

Your Sent Items, Drafts, and Deleted Items folders cannot reside on an IMAP server. Outlook requires that all special folders exist in the default store. IMAP cannot act as the default store because it cannot contain the non-mail special folders.

You can simulate a server-side Sent Items folder by creating a rule in Rules Wizard which copies all outgoing mail to the IMAP folder of your choice. There is no workaround for Drafts and Deleted Items.

Different Deletion Model

Deletion works through marking items for deletion and then purging all items marked for deletion in a given folder. There is no Deleted Items folder because moving an item in IMAP is inefficient; the source item is not immediately deleted due to the two-phase deletion model. This requires that you double the storage requirement for that message.

Steps to delete mail items on an IMAP server:
  1. You must be online and connected to the IMAP server.


  2. Click to select the message(s) you intend to delete.


  3. From the Edit menu, click Delete. (You can also hit the Delete key on the keyboard, or click the X button on the Outlook Standard Toolbar).


  4. The message is now marked for deletion. In the mail window, the message appears "crossed out".


  5. From the Edit menu, click Purge Deleted messages.


Unable to Start Outlook in the IMAP Inbox

Even if you use only IMAP accounts, or your IMAP account is set as your default mail account, Outlook will still launch into a POP3 inbox, the Inbox of your default store. This is because IMAP cannot act as the default store.

As a possible workaround, you can create a shortcut to the Inbox of the IMAP store on your desktop, and start Outlook from this shortcut.

Outlook Today Does Not Display Information for Your IMAP Inbox

Even if you use only IMAP accounts, or your IMAP account is set as your default mail account, Outlook Today will only show the unread count from your POP3 Inbox, the Inbox of your default store. This is because IMAP cannot act as the default store.

No New Mail Notifications

When new mail arrives in the IMAP store, you will not receive a sound, the mouse cursor will not change briefly, and the envelope icon will not appear in the system tray.

Rules Wizard Does Not Function on Incoming Mail

The Rules Wizard is not designed to function when used with an IMAP mail server. Rules created in this scenario will not have any effect.

Net Folders Do Not Function with IMAP

The Net Folders component depends upon the Rules Wizard and thus will not function when used with an IMAP mail server.


REFERENCES

For more information on using IMAP, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q184069 OL98: (IMO) Configuring Outlook to Receive Mail from IMAP Server
Q184224 OL98: (IMO) Recipients Duplicated If Using IMAP
Q183208 OL98: (IMO) Switch From IMO to CW Does not Transfer Account

Additional query words: 98 delete how howto 


Keywords          : GnlFold CfgIM 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: July 23, 1999