---
name: "imapmove"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "uw-imapd"
version: "4:2001adebian-6"
release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/imapcopy"
---

# imapmove(1)

copy or move messages from an IMAP inbox to a local mailbox

Part of [imapcopy(1)](/imapcopy/1.md).

## NAME

imapcopy, imapmove - copy or move messages from an IMAP inbox to a local mailbox

## SYNTAX

**imapcopy** *\[-debug\] \[-verbose\] host \[mailbox\]*

**imapmove** *\[-debug\] \[-verbose\] host \[mailbox\]*

## DESCRIPTION

*imapcopy* and *imapmove* establish an IMAP connection with the named *host* and transfer messages from the IMAP INBOX on that *host* to the named destination *mailbox .* If the *mailbox* is not specified, the default is the local INBOX.

*imapmove* removes (deletes and expunges) the messages the messages from the IMAP INBOX on *host* after transferring them to the destination *mailbox .*

*imapcopy* and  *imapmove* require that the destination *mailbox* exist; otherwise they will print an error message and exit without transferring any messages.

The **-debug** flag prints full debugging telemetry including protocol operations.  The **-verbose** flag prints verbose (non-error) telemetry.

The mailbox name argument is a standard c-client mailbox name.  A variety of mailbox name formats and types of mailboxes are supported by c-client; examples of the most common forms of names are:

- Name

  *Meaning*

- INBOX

  *primary incoming mail folder on the local system*

- archive/tx-project

  mail folder named "tx-project" in "archive" subdirectory of local filesystem home directory

- {imapserver.foo.com}archive/tx-project

  mail folder named "tx-project" in "archive" subdirectory on IMAP server system "imapserver.foo.com"

See your system manager for more information about the types of mailboxes which are available on your system.

## RESTRICTIONS

You must surround a *{host}mailbox* form mailbox name with quotation marks if you run *imapcopy* from [*csh*(1)](/csh/1.md) or another shell for which braces have special meaning.

## AUTHOR

Mark Crispin, MRC@CAC.Washington.EDU

## SEE ALSO

chkmail (1)\
 mbxcopy (1)\
 mbxcvt (1)