OL98: (IMO) Using an IMAP Server with Outlook (185820)
The information in this article applies to:
This article was previously published under Q185820 NOTE: These procedures only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Internet Mail Only option. To determine your installation type, click About Microsoft Outlook on the Help menu. If you have the Internet Mail Only option installed, you see "Internet Mail Only". For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express SUMMARY
Outlook supports the Internet Messaging 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 INFORMATIONNo 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.
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. Using Outlook 2000 you can, however, set the IMAP account as your default account for mail delivery.
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.
This behavior is changed in Outlook 2000, which does support the processing of rules as mail arrives in your IMAP Inbox.
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.
REFERENCESFor additional information, click the article number below
to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
195430 OL2000: Switch From IMO to CW Does not Transfer Account
For additional information, click the article number below
to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
197645 OL2000: (IMO) Configuring Outlook to Receive Mail from IMAP Server
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 6/13/2001 |
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| Keywords: | kbinfo KB185820 |
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