Imapsync presentation by Gilles
Imapsync is an IMAP transfer tool. The purpose of imapsync is to migrate IMAP accounts or to backup IMAP accounts. IMAP, IMAP4 in fact (started December 1994), is one of the three current standard protocols used to access mailboxes, the two other being POP3 (started November 1988) and HTTP (started May 1996) with webmails, webmails are often tied to an IMAP server.
The latest imapsync published release 2.314 was written on Tuesday, 23-Sep-2025 16:55:45 UTC
Imapsync is a command-line tool that allows incremental and recursive IMAP transfers from one mailbox to another, both anywhere on the internet or in your local network. Imapsync runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X. "Incremental" means you can stop the transfer at any time and restart it later efficiently, without generating duplicates. "Recursive" means the complete folders hierarchy can be copied, all folders, all subfolders etc. "Command-line" means it's not a graphical tool, on Windows you have to run imapsync from a batch file. Anyway there is a visual online service, you can try imapsync online at https://imapsync.lamiral.info/X/
Imapsync can't migrate Contacts and Calendars. Most email systems don't set or get Contacts or Calendars via the IMAP protocol. No way via IMAP, no way via imapsync but it can be done with other tools or via export/import of csv or ics files. Also consider using caldavsynchronizer or asking experts at Sumatra company.
Imapsync is not suitable for maintaining a synchronization between two active imap accounts while the user is working on both sides. See why in the Two Ways Sync document. Use offlineimap (written by John Goerzen) or mbsync (written by Michael R. Elkins) for bidirectional (2 ways) synchronizations.
Imapsync can't backup nor restore email messages to or from a local directory. Imapsync works only with IMAP accounts, which always belong to some IMAP server. Read the Archiving document to get several solutions, at least four solutions, to this issue.
Alternatives to imapsync are listed in the Similar softwares section.
Alternatives to the imapsync online service are listed in the External online services section.
Good feedback is always welcome!
and bad feedback is very often welcome
It may sounds crazy but I do reply personally to every single email message I receive, so don't hesitate to spend time writing to me about your email problems, you're sure to get my attention and my time.
Imapsync was the best investment I've ever done.
— Uwe Keim Dec 6 '16 at 12:17
Read some other nice and true testimonials from users.
There is no trial version but I offer 30-day money back guarantee whatever the
reason for a refund. Or drop me a gentle email and I will provide you the latest imapsync because,
well, you made the effort to contact me.
After downloading imapsync, go to the installation documentation.
Special offer: it's only €144 EUR if you buy imapsync + support at once (instead of 72 + 144 = 216 EUR).
For €144 EUR you will get:
For €72 EUR you will get all the above except imapsync full professional support (the first line).
For €144 EUR independently, you get imapsync full professional support, provided by the imapsync designer and developer, Gilles LAMIRAL, your servitor, who has been supporting imap migrations with imapsync for more than 20 years (I started in 2001). See a detailed support description below.
You may wonder why the support alone is the same price as imapsync+support? It's because when you buy both at once, I'm not sure I will have to spend some time directly with you, it's possible that everything goes smoothly for you, since this aim is my daily work. But when you buy the support alone, after buying the software, then I will surely spend time (any amount of hours) to help you. Does it seem fair enough?
Instantly at the end of the payment, Paypal will proposed you to go back to the site,
via a link to gilles@lamiral.info (it's my paypal account name),
this link brings you to imapsync download.
You will also receive an email from gilles@lamiral.info a few minutes later
(it can fall in the Spam folder sometimes).
In order to get an accurate invoice, please make sure the delivery postal address you enter in Paypal
suits your accounting department, since revised editing is not easy.
Your invoice will be sent within a few days by email.
My company is identified by VAT number FR74429303332 or French SIRET number 42930333200051,
French APE/NAF number 6201Z ("programmation informatique" in French, aka, computer programming).
For those of you who seek support, contact me, Gilles LAMIRAL, by email or phone:
The support is done in English, mostly by email or possibly phone/skype. Office hours start at 10:00, end at 16:00 UTC, extra time is possible in case of emergency. The support aims at helping you to get your imap migration job done, quickly if possible. Support includes things like no time to read the documentation, how to deal with special imap software servers (Gmail, Office365, Exchange etc.), choosing and explaining options, explaining error messages, solving authentication issues, dealing with speed, quotas, special context, running in parallel, etc., so in summary: anything! except doing the job for you.
I have been supporting imap migrations with imapsync since 2001, I still enjoy it!
If you can't pay with a credit card via Paypal then it is possible to pay via a bank transfer.
Refund for a bank transfer is less easier than with Paypal so drop me an email to test imapsync
and to be sure it will do what you need it to do, before any payment.
The bank account references will be given upon request.
It will surely add extra work editing manually the invoice, back and forth getting good coordinates, so I will charge both software and support normal prices for a payment via bank transfer, that is 144 EUR.
The funny thing about crypto payments is that I receive very few of them, one or two per year, and in small amount, usually one or two dollars equivalent. Maybe one day those little crypto coins will be like gold, I will love that!
My Bitcoin address at proton.me is
bc1qe8eq22gxt4jh2zfhsq6qdw7q4z8nw27azp95nv
The figures presented here do not include the GitHub imapsync release usage. It's because --noreleasecheck is on by default in the GitHub release, since release 1.592 (2014/05/22). Looking at the numbers before and after 2014, the figures showed above could be doubled.
Where all those numbers come from? To know whether a newer imapsync exists or not, imapsync does an http GET to the file VERSION. Via the User-agent parameter it also sends:
You can remove this behavior by adding the option --noreleasecheck on the command line (or by setting $releasecheck = 0 in the source code). Check CVE-2013-4279.
After Imapsync installation, you have to edit a "ready to use" batch file called imapsync_example.bat and run it by a double-click. This batch file is also in the zip archive so it's useless to download it.
I strongly advise you to read and follow the document README_Windows.txt
After Imapsync installation, you have to edit a "ready to use" script file called imapsync_example_darwin.bat and run it in a shell window. This script file is also in the tgz archive so it's useless to download it.
I strongly advise you to read first and follow the document INSTALL.Darwin.txt and then the document TUTORIAL_Unix.
Here after is presented a Linux imapsync command line example. You can try it on a terminal, as is. Anyway, it's easier to edit a shell script with the same exact command and run this script in a terminal or from a graphical desktop. Just take the Bourne shell script example imapsync_example.sh and adapt with your own parameters. This shell script file is also in the tgz archive so it can be useless to download it.
I strongly advise you to read and follow the document TUTORIAL_Unix.
After Imapsync installation, a basic example in a shell terminal is the following:
./imapsync \ --host1 test1.lamiral.info \ --user1 test1 \ --password1 "secret1" \ --host2 test2.lamiral.info \ --user2 test2 \ --password2 "secret2"
In order to migrate many mailboxes, you should use a loop over a csv
file containing only the data credentials.
On Windows, see sync_loop_windows.bat
batch example.
On Unix, see sync_loop_unix.sh
example.
An example of this csv file is file.txt,
it can be used with the two previous command scripts.
All example scripts can be found in the examples/* directory.
I strongly advise you to read also the following FAQ documents:
Hardware system requirements:
Operating System requirements: Imapsync is avalable on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Which Operating System to chose?
Use the Operating System you are the most familiar with.
Location requirements:
Where to place imapsync?
Any host in any place is ok for imapsync as long as it
has a network access to both IMAP servers, the source and the destination.
What to do next?
Depending on the system where you will run imapsync:
After the imapsync installation you should go to the documentation section just below.
Windows users, the README_Windows.txt contains essential knowledge to do your first syncs.
Unix users, the TUTORIAL_Unix will teach you smoothly how to do your first syncs. Windows users can read it too.
The README file contains general and specific pieces of information to understand imapsync and succeed in your migration or backup.
The FAQ.d/* files present Frequently Asked Questions (and not so frequently asked ones) and their answers. Here is the main menu, take at least the time to read the menu, you will certainly lose some time to read it, two minutes, but reading this menu will most likely save you some struggling hours later, believe me. So read the three columns main menu:
| Scenario | BIVA in Action | |----------|----------------| | Routine check‑up | Dog’s HRV low + lip licking + tucked tail → BIVA Score 45 (mild anxiety). Veterinarian delays blood draw, uses cooperative care techniques. | | Post‑op day 2 | Cat’s temperature normal, but NAS shows 4x more night pacing + SWI = 0.9 (hiding in litter box) → BIVA Score 72 → vet prescribes additional analgesia. | | Herd health | Three cows show SWI rise & decreased ruminating → BIVA aggregate alerts for early pneumonia outbreak → treatment started before fever. |
| Presenting Complaint | Possible Medical Causes | Possible Primary Behavioral Cause | |---------------------|------------------------|-----------------------------------| | House soiling (cat) | UTI, CKD, diabetes, hyperthyroidism | Litter box aversion, stress, marking | | Aggression (dog) | Pain (arthritis, dental), hypothyroidism, brain tumor | Fear, territoriality, redirected aggression | | Compulsive tail chasing | Neurological lesion, epilepsy, parasites | Stereotypic disorder, anxiety | | Night waking (senior pet) | Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) | Circadian rhythm disruption | | Excessive vocalization | Hyperthyroidism (cat), pain, deafness | Separation anxiety, attention-seeking |
Clinical pearl: Every sudden behavior change is a medical case until proven otherwise.
Perhaps the most visible change in modern practice is the Fear Free movement. Historically, veterinary care was utilitarian: restrain the cat, muzzle the dog, and get the job done. However, emerging research in veterinary behavioral medicine proved that stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) dramatically alter physiology.
When a frightened animal enters a clinic:
By integrating animal behavior protocols—such as using treat-based distraction, synthetic pheromones (like Adaptil for dogs or Feliway for cats), and low-stress handling techniques—veterinarians are no longer just being "nice." They are improving diagnostic accuracy. A relaxed patient yields reliable vitals, a true neurological exam, and a safer environment for the veterinary team.
Looking ahead, the integration of genomics with behavior will define the next decade. We are already identifying genetic markers for: Animal Dog 006 Zooskool - Stray-X The Record Part 1 -8
Future veterinary practice will involve behavioral genotyping. A puppy will have its DNA swabbed to determine its predisposition to noise phobia or aggression, allowing for preventative behavioral modification starting at eight weeks old, rather than crisis management at two years old.
Before you call the vet for that weird lump, do this: Watch your pet for 10 silent minutes.
Don’t talk. Don’t touch. Just watch.
Behavior is a vital sign. Just like heart rate and temperature, the way your pet acts is data.
The separation of mind and body is a relic of human medicine that never belonged in veterinary science. An animal is not a machine with broken parts; it is a sentient being whose emotional state dictates its physical health.
When animal behavior is integrated into veterinary science, the results are transformative: | Scenario | BIVA in Action | |----------|----------------|
For the modern veterinarian, the question is no longer "What disease does this animal have?" but "What is this animal’s behavior telling me about its disease?" Listening to that answer is the future of medicine.
Whether you are a pet owner seeking a Fear-Free certified veterinarian or a student considering a specialty in behavioral medicine, remember: Behind every "bad" behavior is a medical explanation waiting to be discovered.
The intersection of animal behavior and veterinary science marks a shift from treating animals as biological machines to recognizing them as sentient beings with complex emotional lives. Historically, veterinary medicine focused strictly on physical pathology—healing wounds or curing infections. Today, understanding animal behavior is considered just as vital as understanding anatomy, forming the foundation of what is now known as "behavioral medicine." The Behavioral-Physical Link
The primary challenge in veterinary science is that patients cannot verbalize their distress. Consequently, behavior is the animal’s only "language." A cat that stops using its litter box or a dog that becomes suddenly aggressive is often not "misbehaving" but reacting to underlying physical pain, such as feline interstitial cystitis or canine osteoarthritis. By studying ethology—the science of animal behavior—veterinarians can use these behavioral shifts as diagnostic tools to identify internal ailments before they become life-threatening. Reducing Stress in Clinical Settings
One of the most practical applications of behavior science in the clinic is the "Fear Free" movement. Veterinary visits are inherently stressful; the scent of other animals, slick metal tables, and restraint can trigger a "fight-or-flight" response. Chronic stress suppresses the immune system and can mask clinical symptoms by spiking heart rates and glucose levels. Veterinary professionals now use behavior-based techniques, such as pheromone diffusers, positive reinforcement, and low-stress handling, to ensure that the patient’s psychological state does not hinder their physical recovery. The Rise of Behavioral Medicine
As the bond between humans and animals deepens, behavioral issues—such as separation anxiety, compulsive disorders, and noise phobias—have become leading reasons for euthanasia and rehoming. Veterinary science has expanded to include psychopharmacology and behavior modification protocols. This branch of science treats the brain as an organ that can suffer from chemical imbalances just like the liver or kidneys. By combining medication with environmental enrichment, veterinarians can improve the quality of life for both the animal and the owner. Conclusion Clinical pearl: Every sudden behavior change is a
Animal behavior and veterinary science are no longer separate silos. A modern veterinarian must be part physician and part psychologist. By integrating the study of how animals act with the study of how their bodies function, the medical community can provide more holistic, compassionate, and effective care.
For decades, veterinary science was primarily concerned with the physical animal. Diagnosis focused on blood work, palpation, and imaging. Treatment revolved around pharmacology and surgery. But over the last twenty years, a radical and necessary shift has occurred. Today, the stethoscope is only half the tool kit; the other half is an understanding of animal behavior.
The fusion of animal behavior and veterinary science has moved from a niche interest to a core clinical competency. Whether you are a pet owner, a livestock manager, or a wildlife conservationist, understanding why an animal acts the way it does is no longer optional—it is the key to accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and improved welfare.
This article explores how the study of behavior is revolutionizing veterinary medicine, from the exam room to the wild.
We are entering a golden age of behavioral veterinary science.
The ChangeLog to read what changed in details since 2001.
The TODO file lists what may be coded or done in the future.
All the people I thank are in the CREDITS file.
What you're allowed to do with imapsync is "No limits to do anything with this work and this license." like written in the https://imapsync.lamiral.info/LICENSE file (the detour is worth it).
This document last modified on Friday April 24, 2026
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