Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)

Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) lets an email client access and manage messages stored on a mail server.

Format
Email & Communication
Updated
Updated
Glossary Email & Communication
Internet Message Access Protocol Also known as IMAP.Aliases: mail retrieval protocol.

Definition

Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) lets an email client access and manage messages stored on a mail server.

How it works

With IMAP, your mail lives on the server and every client shows the same view of it. Read a message on your phone and it shows as read on your laptop; file something into a folder and it is filed everywhere. That synchronization is why IMAP became the default for anyone who checks email on more than one device.

Example: An email app uses IMAP to show the same mailbox state on your phone, laptop, and webmail.

Often confused: IMAP is for reading and organizing stored mail; SMTP is for sending it.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-07-19.