Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 13, 2026

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 notifications in real time.

Last revised
Jun 13, 2026
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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 notifications in real time.1

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.2

Usage

IMAP4 servers that support IDLE will include the string "IDLE" in the result of their CAPABILITY command. This allows email users to receive near instant notification of a new email.3

See also

See also

Notes

Notes

  1. "IMAP4 IDLE command". RFC Editor. June 1997. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  2. "Configuring IMAP IDLE". Oracle Help Center. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  3. Leiba, Barry (June 1997). "IMAP4 IDLE command". Retrieved 22 May 2025.
External links