How to Download Emails from IMAP Server?

Written By Tej Pratap Shukla

Approved By Anuraag Singh

Modified On May 5th, 2026

Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading

Overview: This article will unravel the best solutions to download emails from IMAP server in a trouble-free manner. In this blog post, we will share a manual approach as well as an automated alternative recommended by countless technical experts to accomplish the task. So, stay tuned!

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Almost all email servers use Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to send emails. However, SMTP is used to send emails, while POP3 and IMAP are used to receive emails; they are also known as the Pull protocol. But, does IMAP download emails from the server? Let’s know in the article.

IMAP is a higher-level protocol that allows viewing of all folders on a mail server. Using an IMAP server, users can create, delete, or rename emails directly on the email server. Also, there are many reasons why users want to download emails from the IMAP server.

Therefore, without wasting user time and effort, we recommend the ultimate manual and automated solution in the next section. If you’re one of those people who want to download the entire IMAP mailbox server, then read this article and download the recommended solutions.

Many free email clients help us to download all IMAP emails, such as Thunderbird, Outlook, SeaMonkey, Apple Mail, etc. So, here in this blog, we will consider Outlook as a free email client to download IMAP emails in the manual method.

So, let’s start the process without any hassle…

Manually Download Emails from IMAP Server

Here, we will use MS Outlook as a free email client. In this part, we will talk about the manual method in 2 steps. In the first step, we’ll configure the IMAP email account in the mail client. Furthermore, in this second step, download complete IMAP emails from the free mail client. So, let’s move further and explain each phase with its respective steps.

Step 1: Configure the IMAP Emails in the Mail Client

Download and install the email client in your operating system.
Now, configure the IMAP account in the email client by providing the login details.
Continue by re-entering the login credentials for the final confirmation.

And that’s it for the first phase of the manual approach. Moreover, wait for the synchronization process to attempt to download emails from the IMAP server.

Step 2: Save IMAP Emails Locally

Open the email client and go to the file menu option.
Now, select the Import/Export option and select the Import option.
Finally, download complete IMAP emails.

And that is all for the manual solution. However, this approach comes with several limitations and drawbacks that keep it from becoming an attractive choice for users. Let’s have a look at the hindrances.

Disadvantages Associated with the Manual Method

There is a high probability of data loss.
Also, there is no option for selective data export.
It only exports one mailbox at a time.
There is a risk of an insufficient backup.
It is necessary to verify the IMAP setup.

As you see, these limitations restrict the manual approach from becoming an appealing choice for users. Therefore, to accomplish the task in a secure and reliable way, move on to the next section of the blog where we share an expert-recommended solution.

Professional Solution to Download All Emails from IMAP Server

Use SysTools IMAP Emails Backup Software to effortlessly backup all the emails from the server. The tool facilitates a couple of features that make the process quick. It offers advanced features like naming conventions, date filters, etc., for selective exportation.

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In addition to that, the Delete After Download feature clears out the space after the process of backing up the emails. The incremental Backup option will allow you to create a backup of the newly arrived emails. The tool ensures that there will be no data duplication or modifications after the process terminates.

The next section of the blog includes the sequential working of the software.

Steps to Download Emails from IMAP Server Using the Utility

Download and install the expert-recommended software on your Mac. However, you can try this tool for free on a Windows device also.
Now, fill in the login details to move on to the next step.
After that, select the preferred folders by checking and unchecking their boxes from the left panel of the interface. Then, select the desired saving format from the provided options.
Then, apply the “Advance Setting” option in the software.
Now, select the desired destination location for saving IMAP emails.
After that, hit the Start Backup option to start the process of saving IMAP emails locally.

So There You Have It

In this post, we have discussed a manual and automated solution to download emails from an IMAP server on a Mac machine. Users can avail themselves of the manual method if they are technically equipped. Along with that, the manual approach is overridden with a sea of limitations. Hence, countless technical experts recommend users go for the automated solution to effortlessly export the entire mailbox to multiple file formats.

Besides this, a team of technical experts has been set up to assist you, 24X7.