Connect an IMAP mailbox
istorel connects to your mail server the way a mail client does. You need three things: the IMAP host, the port, and credentials that are allowed to read the mailbox.
- An istorel account — the 14-day trial is enough.
- IMAP enabled on the mailbox. It is on by default at most hosts, and off by default on Gmail.
- The mailbox password, or an app password if the account uses two-factor authentication.
1. Find your IMAP settings
Your provider publishes them in its control panel or its help pages, usually under « mail client configuration ». Here are the most common ones. Where a host has several regions, check the panel: the pattern is the same but the hostname differs.
| Provider | IMAP host | Port | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infomaniak | mail.infomaniak.com | 993 | Mailbox password |
| OVHcloud | ssl0.ovh.net | 993 | Username is the full address |
| Gandi | mail.gandi.net | 993 | Mailbox password |
| Gmail / Workspace | imap.gmail.com | 993 | Enable IMAP, then app password |
| iCloud Mail | imap.mail.me.com | 993 | App-specific password required |
| Zimbra, Dovecot, cPanel | mail.yourdomain.tld | 993 | Check the server hostname |
Not sure? The compatibility checker on the home page reads your domain's MX records and suggests the settings.
2. Add the mailbox
In the console, open Mailboxes and click Add mailbox. Fill in the four fields below; everything else has a sensible default you can change later.
Port 143 with STARTTLS also works if your server does not offer 993. Plain, unencrypted IMAP is refused.
3. App passwords
Accounts protected by two-factor authentication will not accept the normal password over IMAP. Generate a dedicated one instead: it can be revoked without touching the account.
Gmail and Google Workspace
Enable IMAP in Gmail settings, then create an app password from your Google account security page. Workspace administrators may need to allow IMAP for the whole domain first.
iCloud Mail
Generate an app-specific password from your Apple account. The Apple ID password itself is always refused by iCloud's IMAP servers.
Infomaniak and OVHcloud
The mailbox password works directly. If the account has two-factor enabled, create a dedicated application password in the manager.
4. Test and save
Click Test connection. istorel opens a TLS session, authenticates and lists the folders it can see. Nothing is saved until the test passes, so a wrong password cannot leave a half-configured mailbox behind.
Save, and the first backup starts immediately. A mailbox of roughly 1 GB takes about 90 seconds; the following runs only carry what changed.
Common errors
| Message | What to check |
|---|---|
AUTHENTICATIONFAILED | Wrong password, or two-factor is on and an app password is required. |
Connection timeout | Hostname typo, or the server blocks connections from outside its network. |
Certificate rejected | Expired or self-signed certificate on the mail server. Renew it, or contact us. |
IMAP disabled | Turn IMAP on for the mailbox — most common on Gmail and on some Workspace tenants. |