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Zoho Mail - Access via IMAP

Posted by Nishi on 1 April 2025

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is an email retrieval and storage protocol, which syncs with the servers and maintains the status of messages across multiple email clients.

Zoho Mail can be accessed via IMAP on any standard IMAP client using the configuration details provided in this guide. Log in to your webmail and Enable IMAP Access for your account before you configure IMAP in the email client. (You might require an Application-specific Password to set up the account for other devices if you have enabled Two-Factor Authentication).

 The step-by-step instruction sets for some of the popular IMAP clients are available in the links below.

Desktop Clients: Outlook  |  Thunderbird | Apple (Mac) Mail | Other IMAP Clients

Mobile Devices/ Tablets: Apple iPhone/iPad | Windows 7 Mobile |  Android (Samsung, Google Nexus, etc) | Other mobile IMAP Clients

You can also choose to download the native mobile applications in iOS and Android to use the advanced features in Zoho Mail on your mobile device. 

IMAP - An introduction

IMAP and POP3 are protocols that allow you to download email messages from your Zoho Mail server and access them with desktop email clients like Outlook/ Mac Mail and/or mobile email clients iPhone/ Android email apps. Zoho Mail can be configured on any standard IMAP email client using the IMAP and SMTP Server Settings.

IMAP is more recent than POP and allows a two-way synchronization between the email clients and your Zoho Mail account. IMAP is recommended when you want to access the same account from multiple email clients. 

 Enable IMAP Access

To enable IMAP Access for your email account:

  1. Login to Zoho Mail
  2. Go to Settings ​
  3. Navigate to Mail Accounts and click the respective email address from the left listing.
  4. Under the IMAP section, check the IMAP Access box.​
  5. You can also enable Auto-Expunge and configure Folder Settings.

 Zoho Mail IMAP Server Details

You can configure your Zoho Mail account on any standard IMAP client with the configuration details given below.

Incoming Server Settings (Personal users with an email address, username@zoho.com):

Incoming Server Name: imap.zoho.in

Port: 993

Require SSL: Yes  

Username: username@zoho.com 

Incoming Server Settings (Organization users with a domain-based email address,you@yourdomain.com):

Incoming Server Name: imappro.zoho.in

Port: 993

Require SSL: Yes  

Username: you@yourdomain.com 

Outgoing Server Settings: (Personal users with an email address, username@zoho.com):

Outgoing Server Name: smtp.zoho.in

Port: 465 with SSL or

Port: 587 with TLS

Require Authentication: Yes

Outgoing Server Settings (Organization users with a domain-based email address, you@yourdomain.com):

Outgoing Server Name: smtppro.zoho.in

Port: 465 with SSL or

Port: 587 with TLS

Require Authentication: Yes

User Name:  Enter your Zoho username or your complete Zoho Mail address. If your domain is hosted with Zoho, then your email address will be in the format you@yourdomain.com.

Email Address: Enter Your Zoho Mail address. If your domain is hosted with Zoho, then your email address will be in the format you@yourdomain.com.

Password: Enter your Zoho account password.  (You might require an Application-specific Password if Two-factor Authentication is enabled).

 Folder View Settings for IMAP

A huge mailbox with many folders can be cumbersome to view and synchronize emails in IMAP clients. To optimize your IMAP client's performance, you can choose the folders you want to synchronize with IMAP using the steps below:

  1. Login to Zoho Mail
  2. Go to Settings ​
  3. Navigate to Mail Accountsand click the respective email address from the left listing. 
  4. Under the IMAP section, click Launch folder settings.
  5. Select the folders you want to view in the IMAP clients.

Note:

  1. Only the folders selected here will be available in the IMAP clients you use.
  2. Folders that have been shared with you can be viewed from the IMAP clients on desktop and mobile phones.
  3. Thunderbird Client supports the Read and Write Folder Sharing options in Zoho Mail. Learn more.

 IMAP Expunge Options

When you delete an email or move it to another folder in your IMAP client, the email will be deleted or moved to another folder based on your IMAP settings. To make these changes immediately in your IMAP account, you can enable the 'Expunge Immediately' option with the steps below.

  1. Login to Zoho Mail
  2. Go to Settings ​
  3. Navigate to Mail Accounts >> Configure IMAP
  4. In the IMAP Section, select your preferred Expunge option for IMAPCheck Auto-Expunge Mails - This will remove messages from the Zoho Mail server when you delete/ move emails in the IMAP client.Uncheck Auto-Expunge Mails - This option will not delete the emails unless they are manually expunged from the IMAP client.
  5. Check Auto-Expunge Mails - This will remove messages from the Zoho Mail server when you delete/ move emails in the IMAP client.
  6. Uncheck Auto-Expunge Mails - This option will not delete the emails unless they are manually expunged from the IMAP client.

Troubleshoot IMAP Configuration

Unable to Login from IMAP Clients

In case you have turned on Two-Factor Authentication for your account, you need to generate and use the Application-specific Password in the IMAP client you use.

In case you are a Federated Sign In user (Using Sign in using Google Apps/ Gmail/ Facebook etc), you might not have an exclusive password in Zoho for your email account and so you will be required to generate a password for your account. You cannot 'Sign In' using your external account for POP/ IMAP/ Active Sync.

IMAP Access not enabled

You need to have IMAP Access enabled for your account, before configuring IMAP in the other email clients. Refer to this section for instructions.In case you are an Organization user, check with your administrator if IMAP Access is allowed for your account based on the email policies.

Note:

For newly signed up users (Free plan), the POP Access feature will not be available. Refer here for more details.

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