IMAP IDLE

In email technology, IDLE is an IMAP feature described in RFC 2177 that allows a client to indicate to the server that it is ready to accept real-time notifications.

Significance

The IDLE feature allows IMAP email users to immediately receive any mailbox changes without having to undertake any action such as clicking on a refresh button, or having the email client automatically and repeatedly ask the server for new messages.

Usage

IMAP4 servers that support IDLE will include the programming string "IDLE" in the result of their CAPABILITY command. This allows email users to receive near instant notification of a new email.

See also

• Push-IMAP

Software

Client software with support for IMAP IDLE

• Apple Mail, IDLE command introduced with version 3.
• Becky!, IDLE command introduced with version 2.56 (2010/09/29).
• Cone
• Courier
• eM Client
• EmailPush for iPhone
• Emansio For Windows Mobile
• Evolution (IMAPX introduced as "IMAP+" in version 2.30)
• FlexMail For Windows Mobile
• ibisMail for iPhone
• i.Scribe / InScribe
• K-9 Mail for Android
• Kaiten Mail for Android
• Kmail as with KDE SC 4.7
• Mailbird
• MetroMail for Windows Phone 8
• Microsoft Entourage
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Outlook Express
• Microsoft Windows Mail
• Microsoft Windows Mail App for Windows 8
• Mozilla Thunderbird/SeaMonkey
• Mutt
• Opera Mail
• Peek (mobile email device)
• ProfiMail For Windows Mobile and Symbian
• SchedHandler For Windows Mobile
• Sparrow for OS X
• Symbian smartphones
• Tiverias GPush for iPhone
• Treo smartphones
• Trojitá
• webOS smartphones
• Zimbra Desktop for Windows, Linux & MAC

Server software with support for IMAP IDLE

• acIMAP
• Archiveopteryx
• CommuniGate Pro
• ContactOffice
• Courier Mail Server
• Cyrus IMAP server
• Davmail Gateway
• DBMail IMAP and POP3 server
• dovecot IMAP server
• Eudora Internet Mail Server
• hMailServer
• isode M-Box POP/IMAP Gateway
• Kerio Connect
• Kerio Mail Server
• Kolab Groupware Server
• LumiSoft Mail Server
• MailEnable
• MailSite
• Mailtraq
• MDaemon Mail Server
• Microsoft Exchange Server
• Panda IMAP
• SmarterMail 8.x
• Sun Java System Messaging Server
• Synchronica Mobile Gateway
• Teamware Office
• UW IMAP
• wodImapServer ActiveX component
• Zarafa Collaboration Platform
• Zimbra Collaboration Server
• Zoho Mail

Services that support IMAP IDLE

• FastMail

External links

• RFC 2177: IMAP4 IDLE