Configure POP and IMAP settings with the Gmail API

This document explains how to manage POP and IMAP protocols using the Gmail API.

POP and IMAP are two ways to read your Gmail messages in other email clients. POP is an older protocol designed for a single computer. With POP, your client downloads messages, and you choose how often to download new ones. IMAP works across multiple devices and syncs messages in real time.

You can use the settings resource of the Gmail API to configure how Gmail handles POP and IMAP protocols:

POP

You can manage POP settings for an account using the PopSettings object.

Enable and disable access

Control access with the accessWindow field. This field determines whether POP is enabled and which messages the API retrieves.

Value Effect
disabled No messages are accessible through POP
allMail All unfetched messages are accessible through POP
fromNowOn Only new messages are accessible through POP

Message disposition

Configure the disposition of messages that the API retrieves with the disposition field.

Value Effect
archive Move messages out of the INBOX
leaveInInbox Do nothing; leave messages unread in the INBOX
markRead Leave messages in the INBOX and mark them as read
trash Move messages to the TRASH

IMAP

You can manage IMAP settings for an account using the ImapSettings object.

Enable and disable access

Use the boolean enabled field to control access. This field determines whether IMAP is enabled for the account.

Message disposition

Use the expungeBehavior field to configure the disposition of a message when a client marks it as deleted and expunges it from the last visible IMAP folder.

Value Effect
archive Move messages marked as deleted out of the INBOX
deleteForever Permanently delete messages marked as deleted
trash Move messages marked as deleted to the TRASH

If the boolean autoExpunge field is true, Gmail immediately expunges a message when a client marks it as deleted in IMAP. Otherwise, messages remain until the IMAP client explicitly requests their removal.