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Gmail gets IMAP
When we checked Gmail Help database this evening, Gmail had said that they support POP, but not IMAP. Then a few minutes later, that doc was gone, and a stack of IMAP related help docs were up. The new pages explain how to integrate the new mail feature. It's as easy as setting up POP, but with huge benefits.
Why is IMAP integration a good thing for Gmail? POP was a stepping stone, but IMAP pushes Gmails benefits over the top. With IMAP, users can now access their email via a desktop application like Outlook or Thunderbird, read emails, make changes, delete, and have the changes made across platforms. So if you now log into your Gmail account, the message which you read in Thunderbird, will now be marked accordingly. No more wasting time trying to sift through emails that had already been answered.
Take a peek under your Settings in Gmail, and click into your 'Forwarding and POP IMAP' tab to see if you are one of the lucky ones who got IMAP first.
UPDATE: Some users are reporting that if they log out and back into Gmail accounts, IMAP settings are showing up! There is hope!
UPDATE 2: Dont worry if you IMAP isn't appearing in your account, Google will be rolling it out to everyone over the next few days.
Comments
87
Subscribe to commentsDavid ChartierOct 23rd 2007 9:22PM
WANT!
Wow I've been begging for this for over a year now. Don't see it in my prefs yet. Cmon Gmail I wuv you!! Hook a geek up, mmk?
Rishabh KumarOct 23rd 2007 9:30PM
My super old gmail address (okay not too old but from 2005) has the IMAP option!!! Too bad it's become a spam account :(
David TruongOct 23rd 2007 9:37PM
Woot I got IMAP.. now i gotta go mark all my messages as read =)
Chris GilmerOct 23rd 2007 9:38PM
Why does Google tease people by only releasing these kinds of features randomly?
BrentOct 23rd 2007 10:08PM
No luck here darn it! I'll now be checking way to often until this feature arrives. I've wanted this for a while now...
KimberlyOct 23rd 2007 10:21PM
Cool, I have it in my account
Michael RoseOct 23rd 2007 10:25PM
The Big G has thoughtfully added a setup walkthrough page for iPhone owners:
https://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=77702
If you are trying IMAP Gmail on your iPhone, let us know over at TUAW:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/10/23/gmail-flips-the-switch-on-imap-support/
michaelOct 23rd 2007 10:25PM
I don't want to be a downer, but Live Hotmail has already had this feature for a while.
Just saying that Microsoft isn't always behind and the company that always copies everyone. Not in this case.
Chris PereiraOct 23rd 2007 10:26PM
Just looked, and I've got it. Funny how I get it when I didn't know what IMAP was before checking this story out. XD
devronOct 28th 2007 11:50PM
Question for those who have it -- did you have POP3 enabled? I don't see IMAP and I didn't have POP3 enabled.... (and if it has anything to do with it showing up.....I'm starting to wish I did.) :-(
When I get this, it changes the usability of gmail on my iPhone by a factor of 10.
Planet MalaysiaOct 24th 2007 11:50AM
This is what I hope long time ago. Thanks.
SteveOct 23rd 2007 10:35PM
Cool. About time. Someone already said that Live Hotmail has IMAP, and actually AIM and AOL Mail have had IMAP support for literally years.
Gonna go change my Thunderbird config....
PaulOct 24th 2007 12:05AM
Grr. My wife's gmail account has this, but my account doesn't. Both are set up the same way with POP3 enabled.
David ChartierOct 23rd 2007 10:52PM
Google, like many sites, often roll out features slowly like this to ensure a smooth ride for both their servers and the users. You can't always test every angle of software like this and sometimes ya just gotta roll it out slowly and carefully to make sure it sticks right.
PhariseeOct 23rd 2007 10:55PM
Cool. I got it. Can't wait to start copying all my "before Gmail" email to gmail from outlook. Should be very straight-forward from Outlook.
Robby VallesOct 23rd 2007 11:22PM
it worked on my iPhone!
jPOct 23rd 2007 11:17PM
I don't have it yet and I have used pop since forever. I also think I was a beta tester, so it has nothing to do with that. I hope to see this new feature by tomorrow!
nitish JhaOct 23rd 2007 11:19PM
how do u enable IMAP in windows live email ?
Rudy COct 23rd 2007 11:50PM
I tried the log out relogin and it showed up!!
I did have POP enabled before.
Now time to change settings!
dprattOct 23rd 2007 11:30PM
Nooooo!
Who do I email/beg/bribe to get this enabled for my gmail account? I've been waiting for gmail IMAP for years!