Offlineimap gmail

OfflineIMAP is a great tool for synchronizing your email accounts with your local machine, allowing you to access your emails even when you're not connected to the internet. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to set up OfflineIMAP with Gmail:

Prerequisites:

1. Install OfflineIMAP on your system. You can do this by running pip install offlineimap in your terminal.
2. Create a Gmail account and enable IMAP access. You can do this by going to your Gmail settings, clicking on the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab, and selecting "Enable IMAP".
3. Generate an App Password for OfflineIMAP. You can do this by going to your Google Account settings, clicking on the "Security" tab, and selecting "App passwords". Choose "Other (Custom name)" and enter a name for your app password. You'll receive a 16-character password that you'll use in OfflineIMAP.

Configuring OfflineIMAP:

1. Create a new file called offlineimap.conf in your home directory (e.g., ~/.offlineimap.conf on Linux or C:\Users\<YourUsername>\.offlineimap.conf on Windows).
2. Add the following lines to the file:

   
   [general]
   accounts = Gmail
   folders = INBOX, [Gmail]/Sent Mail, [Gmail]/Drafts, [Gmail]/Spam, [Gmail]/Trash

[Gmail] type = Gmail username = [email protected] password = your_app_password realdelete = no

Replace `[email protected]` with your Gmail address and `your_app_password` with the App Password you generated earlier.

3. Save the file and restart OfflineIMAP by running `offlineimap` in your terminal.

**Syncing your emails:**

1. OfflineIMAP will start syncing your emails with your local machine. You can check the status of the sync by running `offlineimap -v` in your terminal.
2. Once the sync is complete, you can access your emails using a mail client like Mutt, Mozilla Thunderbird, or even a text editor.

**Tips and Variations:**

* To sync only specific folders, add the `folders` option to the `[Gmail]` section. For example, to sync only the INBOX and Sent Mail folders, add `folders = INBOX, [Gmail]/Sent Mail`.
* To use SSL/TLS encryption, add the `ssl` option to the `[Gmail]` section. For example, `ssl = yes`.
* To use a different port, add the `port` option to the `[Gmail]` section. For example, `port = 993`.

That's it! With these steps, you should be able to set up OfflineIMAP with your Gmail account and access your emails even when you're not connected to the internet.