Before we discuss the solutions and tools for IMAP backups, let’s first clear up what exactly IMAP protocol is. It’s a name given to a set of technical rules and protocols that define how devices talk to each other and make it possible to fetch and display your emails and other related items. But this means that your emails, often in your IMAP account, are stored on servers as well. Our discussion today on IMAP backups will show how you can store your data both locally and on your preferred cloud storage provider.

Now it is pretty clear and obvious to many why they should consider backing up emails from IMAP accounts. But just to clarify and make the points clearer, let’s go through those reasons in brief.

The main reason you think of backups is being able to access the information whenever you want and be immune to mishaps that could happen to the original device where they were stored. Too many incidents like data theft, outages, and server crashes resulting in permanent data loss sound far-fetched and unlikely.

If only so. Unfortunately, all of those cases can happen and are, in fact, a reality for many at this very moment.

And all they could wish now is if they had taken backups of all their emails on IMAP accounts. You could avoid that. And because you’re reading this article, it seems like you have reached that same conclusion. So luckily, we can now immediately jump into the real thing— how to backup IMAP data?

One of the most practical, recommended, popular tools for IMAP backupsis called Mail Backup X. It is a versatile application that supports backup of many email software and email providers/servers including Gmail, Yahoo, and others. It also supports data backup from any IMAP-based email account.

It’s time to get back into the actual action of backing up IMAP. We will walk you through each step of the process, and along the way, offersome helpful tips to make the backup process effective and secure.

• Laying the Foundation (Installation)

Once the installer is downloaded, double click on it to open the wizard, which guides you through the installation steps. Upon completion of installation, start the program, agree to the terms and conditions, activate with your license key or the free trial version, and proceed to go to the main dashboard. This main screen serves as the operational hub. Where you can view your backup activities and navigate to various options and tasks.

• Start the new profile wizard.

Within this main home screen of the application, if you look to the left, you will see the navigation bar or panel. Look for the action titled ‘MyBackup Profiles’ and click on it. On the next screen, click on ‘set up a new backup profile,’ likely to be at the top.This will begin the wizard for the new profile where you can specify the specific source of emails and other parameters.

• Select the platform for backup.

Now you will be prompted to select the platform from which you intend to back up your data. You will encounter options like Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Postbox, and others, including a generic ’email server’ option. Since you want to backup emails from an IMAP account, click on the e-mail server option followed by IMAP server on the next screen.

• Connect with IMAP account.

After you choose ‘Email Server’, you’ll see a new screen. Here, you need to enter your full email address and password. Mail Backup X needs these details to connect to your email server. Fill in the correct information in the provided fields.

Sometimes, Mail Backup X can’t find your email server settings automatically. If that happens, look for a ‘Manual Configuration’ option. This will let you enter more details, like the IMAP server address, port number, and encryption type. These settings help Mail Backup X make the right connection to your email server so it can back up your emails safely.

• Include only essentials:

Once Mail Backup X connects to your email, you’ll get a clear overview of all your folders. Decide what stays and what goes. Most people stick with default folders like Inbox, Sent Items, and Drafts. To keep things tidy, you can leave out less important folders like Spam or Trash. If you have multiple custom folders, this particular step becomes more important. Take your time and make sure you’ve got all the emails you might need later!

• Profile configuration:

• Get ready to configure the settings for your IMAP emails backup profile. These settings will dictate how your backup operates, including where it is stored, how secure it is, and how often it updates.
• This first one is a straightforward – profile name. It should be simple and reflect the type of data and purpose of the backup in such a way that you can differentiate it from others that you may create in the future.
• Next, designate a space which will house your IMAP backup files. Click the “Choose a Space” button, and to store on your computer, select “On My Computer” option. To store on cloud space, pick from the available options, if you have added it already. If not, you can add now by clicking “Add New Cloud Space,” select the provider like Google Drive or OneDrive, login and authenticate.
• Decide if you want to encrypt backups or not. If you have not gone through the security setup, you will have to do it before you can encrypt the Backup profiles.
• Next, set how often the profile will backup IMAP data. If you choose automatic, the profile will continuously back up new data as it arrives, which makes it a very convenient and safe option, although also very demanding for obvious reasons. If you want, you can set a custom schedule by selecting the option ‘Recurring,’ and then specifying the desired schedule.

• After profile creation

Following the completion of these settings, the new backup profile will be operational. It will appear in the list under ‘My Backup Profiles’. From this point forward, manage your backups, monitor activity logs, and adjust settings as necessary from this interface.

This completes the setup and operationalization of your new IMAP backup profile in “Mail Backup X.” If you need a reliable, secure, and friendly way to backup emails from IMAP account, this is an ideal tool. For trial purposes, you can use “Mail Backup X” for 15 days. It’s risk-free and gives you a chance to check out how the tool fits within your environment and lives up to the demands of your workflow.