- Log into your Gmail account at https://mail.google.com.
- Go to your Gmail settings, select “Forwarding and POP/IMAP” (the direct link should be https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#settings/fwdandpop).
Verify the following for IMAP access:
- In the section Folder size limits the option Do not limit the number of messages in an IMAP folder should be selected:
- Save the above settings.
- In the section Folder size limits the option Do not limit the number of messages in an IMAP folder should be selected:
- Go to the “Labels” tab (the direct link should be: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#settings/labels).
Verify the following:- Verify that the label you are migrating, backing up or sharing has Show in IMAP enabled:
- Verify IMAP Settings for system labels All Mail and Trash
- Scroll down to find the “All Mail” and “Trash” labels.
- Ensure that both have “Show in IMAP” enabled. If not enabled, click “Show in IMAP” to allow access.
- Verify that the label you are migrating, backing up or sharing has Show in IMAP enabled:
Gmail users with a personal Google Account. As of January 2025, the option to choose Enable IMAP or Disable IMAP is no longer available. IMAP access is now always turned on in Gmail, and existing connections to other email clients remain unaffected. No action is required.
Here’s a note for IT Admin:
Please refer to the guide on enabling the IMAP protocol in the Google Workspace Admin Console: Enable IMAP Protocol Guide. The admin can choose to either allow any mail client or restrict users to OAuth mail clients only.