Applies to: Exchange Server 2010 SP3, Exchange Server 2010 SP2

Topic Last Modified: 2012-07-23

By default, IMAP4 is disabled in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010. After you enable IMAP4, Exchange 2010 accepts unsecured IMAP4 client communications on port 143 and over port 993 using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

You can start and stop the IMAP4 service by using either Microsoft Management Console or net start on the Exchange 2010 Client Access server. You can also check to verify whether the service is running on the Client Access server.

Looking for other management tasks related to setting up POP3 and IMAP4? Check out Managing POP3 and IMAP4.

Use Microsoft Management Console to start or stop the IMAP4 service

You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "POP3 and IMAP4" entry in the Client Access Permissions topic.

  1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Services.

    • To start the Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 service, in the results pane, right-click Microsoft Exchange IMAP4, and then click Start.

    • To stop the Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 service, in the results pane, right-click Microsoft Exchange IMAP4, and then click Stop.

Use net start to start or stop the IMAP4 service

You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "POP3 and IMAP4" entry in the Client Access Permissions topic.

  1. On the Exchange server that has the Client Access server role installed, open a Command Prompt window.

    • To start the service, at the command prompt, type net start MSExchangeIMAP4, and then press ENTER.

    • To stop the service, at the command prompt, type net stop MSExchangeIMAP4, and then press ENTER.

  2. Close the Command Prompt window.

Verify that the IMAP4 service is running

You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "POP3 and IMAP4" entry in the Client Access Permissions topic.

  1. On the Exchange Client Access server, open a Command Prompt window.

  2. At the command prompt, type telnet localhost 143, and then press ENTER. IMAP4 is working correctly if Telnet returns "+OK Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 server ready."

  3. Close Telnet, and then close the Command Prompt window.

Other Tasks

After you start and stop the IMAP4 service, you may also want to: