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Welcome to the imapsync web site!

What is imapsync?

The purpose of imapsync is to migrate IMAP accounts or to backup IMAP accounts. IMAP is one of the three current standard protocols to access mailboxes, the two other are POP3 and HTTP with webmails (often tied to an IMAP server).

imapsync software is a command line tool that allows incremental and recursive IMAP transfers from one mailbox to another, both anywhere on the internet or in your local network. "Incremental" means you can stop the transfer at any time and restart it later efficiently. "Recursive" means the complete folders hierarchy can be copied. "Command line" means it's not a graphical tool, on Windows you have to run imapsync in a DOS box (cmd.exe) or from a batch file.

imapsync can't migrate Contacts and Calendars. Most email systems don't set or get Contacts or Calendars via the IMAP protocol. No way via IMAP, no way via imapsync (but it can be done with other tools or via export/import of csv or ics files).

imapsync is not suitable for maintaining a synchronization between two active imap accounts while the user is working on both sides. Use offlineimap (written by John Goerzen) or mbsync (written by Michael R. Elkins) for bidirectionnal (2 ways) synchronizations.

Alternatives to imapsync are listed in the Similar softwares section.

Facts and figures for 2011-2013

Where all those numbers come from? To know wether a newer imapsync exists or not imapsync does a http GET to VERSION. Via the User-agent parameter it also send:

You can remove this behavior by adding option --noreleasecheck on the command line (or by setting $releasecheck = 0 in the source code)

Latest release is imapsync

imapsync was written on

See ChangeLog to know what's new in details since 2001.

New features or bugfixes since previous releases:

Simple transfer on Windows

Batch file example imapsync_example.bat that you can easily adapt with your parameters.

Massive transfers (many mailboxes)

In order to migrate many mailboxes, you should use a loop over a csv file containing only the data credentials. An example of this file is file.txt, it can be used with the two following command scripts.
On Windows, see sync_loop_windows.bat batch example.
On Unix, see sync_loop_unix.sh example.

Who is the author?

Gilles LAMIRAL
Email: gilles.lamiral@laposte.net

Good feedback is always welcome, bad feedback is often welcome.

Where to talk about imapsync?

A nice place to talk about imapsync is the public imapsync mailing-list (see below section Mailing-List).

Buy imapsync source code

Buy latest imapsync Perl source code for 50 EUR

The Perl imapsync source code will run anywhere a Perl interpreter can run: any Unix, Linux, Windows, or Mac OS operating system.

+ Lifetime of imapsync updates without extra payment.
+ 30 days money-back guarantee! (any reason qualifies)
+ Standalone imapsync.exe.

Payment by Paypal account and credit card accepted.
Price 50 EUR is equal to around 66 USD, no problem to pay in USD (or any currency) via paypal:

imapsync usage
Enter your VAT if you're a European professional (for accounting). It's 2 letters followed by 11 digits, for example mine is FR74429303332.

You will receive a download link just after the payment from gilles.lamiral@laposte.net (can fall in Spam folder sometimes).
You will also receive a gpg signed invoice within a few days by email.
Please give a delivery postal address where the invoice will be needed (your company for example), since reedit is not easy (and forbidden by law).

Buy standalone imapsync.exe for win32

Struggle free from source code and Perl installation by
buying the latest win32 standalone imapsync.exe for 50 EUR

+ Lifetime of imapsync updates without extra payment.
+ 30 days money-back guarantee! (any reason qualifies)
+ Source code of imapsync.

Payment by Paypal account and credit card accepted.
Price 50 EUR is equal to around 66 USD, no problem to pay in USD (or any currency) via paypal:

imapsync usage
Enter your VAT if you're a European professional (for accounting). It's 2 letters followed by 11 digits, for example mine is FR74429303332.

You will receive a download link just after the payment, from gilles.lamiral@laposte.net (can fall in Spam folder sometimes).
You will also receive a gpg signed invoice within a few days by email.
Please give a delivery postal address where the invoice will be needed (your company for example), since reedit is not easy (and forbidden by law).

Buy full professional support for imapsync

You will be able to expose your issues by email or phone and we'll work together until complete success.

For 100 EUR buy imapsync full support done by the imapsync designer/developper.

This support offer doesn't include the imapsync software.

Payment by Paypal account and credit card accepted.
100 EUR is equal to around 133 USD, no problem to pay in USD (or any currency) with paypal:

imapsync usage
Enter your VAT if you're a European professional (for accounting). It's 2 letters followed by 11 digits, for example mine is FR74429303332.

You will receive instructions to contact me just after the payment, from gilles.lamiral@laposte.net (can fall in Spam folder sometimes).
You will also receive a gpg signed invoice within a few days by email.
Please give a delivery postal address where the invoice will be needed (your company for example), since reedit is not easy (and forbidden by law).

Documentation

Read the INSTALL file to know how to install imapsync on your system.

The README file has many tips to understand imapsync and succeed in your migration or backup.

The FAQ file presents Frequently Asked Questions (and not so frequently asked ones).

The ChangeLog to read what changed in details since 2001.

The TODO file lists what may be coded or done in the future.

All the people I thank are in the CREDITS file.

What you're allowed to do with imapsync is listed in the LICENSE file (well worth it).

The imapsync mailing list

The public mailing-list may be the best way to get free and gratis support (not as quick as the professional support).
You can write to the mailing-list even if you're not subscribed to it.
In that case you will receive a confirmation message each time you post (to avoid spam).

To write on the mailing-list, the address is: imapsync@linux-france.org

To subscribe, send a message to: imapsync-subscribe@listes.linux-france.org

To unsubscribe, send a message to: imapsync-unsubscribe@listes.linux-france.org

To contact the person in charge for the list: imapsync-request@listes.linux-france.org

The list archives are available at http://linux-france.org/prj/imapsync_list/
So consider that the list is public, anyone can see your post.
Use a pseudonym or do not post to this list if you want to stay private.

Search in the imapsync list archives: (change the keywords with your own request and press Enter)

Thank you for your participation to the imapsync mailing-list!

Lists of imap server software failures and success stories

Let's start with reported failure stories over the past.
Maybe new imapsync releases can run successfully with them.
Don't hesitate to have a try, It's been a long since last failure occured, I will help you and make efforts to switch them to the success list, I like it.

Now the long reported success stories list: 55 different imap server softwares supported!
[host1] means "source server" and [host2] means "destination server":

Similar softwares

Online IMAP migration services

I have no share in these free or paid services. I don't think they use imapsync. Prices are given par mailbox and may be outdated (december 2011).

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