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Summary: To backup emails from IMAP accounts, using the right tool is essential. This blog covers the top 5 tools to easily take a backup of IMAP email account. Compare their capabilities, supported features, and overall performance to choose the right solution for your needs.

Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is a protocol widely used by email clients to send/receive emails. For instance, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Hotmail are IMAP email clients. IMAP emails stand out from other clients because they store your emails on a server, allowing you to access your email messages anywhere. For example, if you want to add an iCloud Account to Outlook, then you can use its IMAP input and output web server, then account will be activated in Outlook.

But IMAP emails get deleted or lost if anything happens to the server. For instance, any error can occur on the IMAP server if it is attacked by malware or the server crashes. In such events, it is crucial to back up your IMAP mailboxes using advanced software before the disaster happens.

Best Tools to Backup Emails from IMAP Accounts

There are many tools available in the market that offer easy IMAP account backup processes. In this article, we have enlisted the top 5 tools to backup email from IMAP account.

  1. Kernel IMAP Backup and Restore
  2. Kernel IMAP Backup and Restore stands out from the crowd when it comes to securely backing up emails from IMAP account. It is one of the highly trusted software, specifically created to help you backup all your IMAP mailboxes quickly. Integrated with multiple functionalities, it allows you to make a selective backup of IMAP emails.

    • You can filter the IMAP mailbox data by date filter and folder selection options
    • Allow you to backup single/multiple IMAP mailboxes at once
    • Save the IMAP emails in numerous formats, including PST, EML, MSG, MHT, DOC, DOCX, and PDF format
    • Supports backup by skipping already backed-up items from IMAP mailboxes
    • Supports Novell Groupwise, Exchange, Office 365, and Lotus Notes accounts
    • Provides a simple user interface with minimum steps to save IMAP Data to PST file

    Step-by-step process to back up your IMAP mailboxes:

    Step 1. Download and launch the software to backup IMAP emails.

    Step 2. On the homescreen of the tool, click on +Add option.launch the Kernel IMAP Backup software

    Step 3. Enter the required credentials to connect IMAP Server and click on Add.Enter the details to connect IMAP Server

    Step 4. the IMAP Server is added, click on the Set Filter and Migrate option.click on the Set Filter and Migrate option

    Step 5. Now review mailbox folders, apply required filters, and click I am OK, Start Migration to initiate backup of IMAP mailboxes.Apply filter options to perform migration

    Step 6. Choose the specific file format in which you want to back up your IMAP data.Select the file format to save

    Step 7. Select the preferred destination to save the file locally.
    Select the preferred destination option

    Step 8. After the backup is completed, it will show the Status as Success. Then, you can also Save report to CSV.
    IMAP Backup process completed

    PROS

    CONS

    • The software interface carries the server’s name and port number information of multiple IMAP Servers to ease the process for users.
    • Assures data security throughout the process.
    • Comes with advanced features like date filter and folder selection options.
    • It comes with a great GUI, which eases the whole migration process.
    • Only supports IMAP Email backup, not other items like contacts, calendar, etc.
    • Limitations while using the trial version.
  3. IMAP Downloader
  4. If you’re looking for an open-source tool, IMAPDownloader is an excellent choice. It is one of the simplest open-source backup software programs that does all the work for you. All you need to do is provide the right credentials and let it do the rest for you. During the backup, you can even view the progress of downloading in the tool’s UI.

    IMAPDownloader creates a ZIP file of emails on your system, which can further be used to access your emails. The tool comes with a simple and easy-to-use interface that only asks for your IMAP credentials and does the rest for you. It only takes a few minutes to back up the emails, depending upon the size of the mailboxes. Moreover, if you want to back up specific folders, you can make your selection from the tree structure and then perform the backup.

    PROS

    CONS

    • Simple and Easy to use
    • Free tool
    • As it is open-source software, there is a lack of data security
    • No advanced filter option is available
  5. Mailbird IMAP Backup
  6. Whether you want to backup IMAP or POP mailboxes, Mailbird can help you with everything. Any user can easily access the tool after subscribing to Mailbird. It is also considered one of the best email management tools to help you organize your mailboxes. For instance, it allows you to manage your emails and contacts from multiple accounts into one inbox. Some of the major functionalities of the tool are:

    • Highly customizable due to the built-in apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Dropbox, Google Calendar, Asana, etc.
    • Offers quick recovery of IMAP mailboxes with a smooth process
    • Integrated with advanced email management functionalities to optimize your mailboxes
    • Provides a free trial to analyze its performance and working process
    • Mailbird is easy to incorporate into your daily life, as it takes minimum space on your system for installation.

    PROS

    CONS

    • Users can have great deals at a discount price
    • The trial version is available
    • Users can have great deals at a discount price
    • It comes with a user-friendly interface
    • The process is quite lengthy during bulk migration
    • We need to disable the antivirus software to perform well
  7. DRS IMAP Backup
  8. The tool allows you to save your mailboxes from various IMAP servers like Gmail, Yahoo, Zoho Mail, Amazon Webmail, etc. This tool offers a straightforward interface to help you back up your mailboxes quickly. Using this tool, you can backup IMAP emails on your local computer. The tool offers broad compatibility with multiple platforms. Some of its extensive features are:

    • Save IMAP mailboxes to various formats, such as PST, JSON, PDF, MBOX, EML, etc.
    • Allow you to download and backup all the IMAP items, including emails, contacts, and calendar
    • Export IMAP mailboxes directly to Yahoo, Office 365, AOL, Yandex Mail, iCloud and other email clients
    • Transfer backup emails to another IMAP account in the safest manner
    • Schedule your process to backup IMAP emails based on your requirements
    • Save your IMAP mailboxes to External Hard Drive, Flash Drive, and Local machine
    • The tool is available as a free trial that allows you to back up a limited number of emails from your IMAP email account.

    PROS

    CONS

    • Useful to backup and save in several file formats like PDF, PST, MBOX, EML, etc.
    • Migrate the IMAP emails into multiple email clients like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Zoho Mail, etc.
    • Easy to perform bulk migration of the IMAP mailbox data.
    • There is a requirement for a third-party app password to log into the tool.
    • Users need to upgrade to the premium version for more functionalities.
  9. Aryson IMAP Backup Tool
  10. If you’re looking for a utility that can backup all your IMAP mailboxes on your local system, Aryson is a great option. It gives you the option to backup your IMAP mailboxes to OST, PST, EML, MSG, MBOX, CSV, PDF, and many other formats. The tool even allows you to migrate your mailboxes to Office 365, live Exchange, Gmail, Yahoo, and other IMAP servers. The tool is integrated with some advanced features, including:

    • Back up all your mailbox items, including emails, contacts, calendar, tasks, etc.
    • Converts and downloads multiple IMAP mailboxes at once
    • Export all IMAP account data to a live Exchange Server
    • Saves all IMAP account contacts in a CSV file format
    • Maintains the data hierarchy and integrity of IMAP account
    • It offers a user-friendly and intuitive GUI for an easy backup process
    • The tool is compatible across all versions of Windows, but it is expensive compared to other tools.

    PROS

    CONS

    • The trial version is available before purchasing.
    • Regularly gets updated
    • User-friendly interface
    • Quick backup process
    • Won’t allow signing into IMAP account without entering the third-party app password.

Author’s Verdict

The right tool to backup emails from IMAP accounts depends on your specific needs, mailbox size, and ease of management. We have put forward a list of the top 5 software you can use to secure and back up your IMAP mailboxes easily. While some tools are best for basic email storage, others provide advanced capabilities for large-scale mailbox handling. Before selecting a solution, consider these factors:

  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Support for multiple export formats
  • Filters for elective mailbox backup option
  • Bulk account processing
  • Incremental backup feature
    • Frequently Asked Questions

      Q. Why do I need to backup IMAP emails?

      Ans: The backup of IMAP emails helps you protect important mailboxes data from accidental deletion, server failure, account issues, ransomware attacks, and more.

      Q. Can I save IMAP emails to my local system?

      Ans: Yes, you can easily save IMAP emails to the local system using a dedicated backup software that export emails from IMAP to PST, EML, MBOX, PDF, and other formats for offline access and recovery.

Kernel IMAP Backup
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