How to set up an IMAP account in Outlook

To set up IMAP in Outlook, you can do the following: 

1. Open Outlook
2. Select File
3. Select Add Account
4. Enter your email address
5. Select Advanced options
6. Check Let me set up my account manually
7. Select Connect
8. Select IMAP as the account type
9. Enter your incoming and outgoing server settings (mail.hvi.net)
10. Enter your password
11. Select Connect

This should show you your folders and emails on the server.

Next you have to permanently save these messages to your computer so you can still access them after the server is taken offline.

To permanently save IMAP messages in Outlook, you need to create a separate .PST (Personal Storage Table) file and manually move the desired emails from your IMAP inbox to a folder within that PST file, effectively storing them locally on your computer instead of solely on the remote server where IMAP accounts store data; you can also utilize Outlook’s archiving feature to automatically move older emails to a PST file based on set criteria. 

Here’s how to do it:

• Create a new PST file:
  • Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings. 
  • Select the Data Files tab. 
  • Click Add to create a new PST file. 
  • Name the file and choose a location to save it. 
• Move emails to the PST folder:
  • Open your IMAP inbox in Outlook. 
  • Select the emails you want to save. 
  • Drag and drop them into the new folder created within your PST file. 

Alternative: Using the Archive feature:

• Access Archive settings:
  • Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings. 
  • Select the desired IMAP account. 
  • Click Change to access archive settings. 
• Configure archiving:
  • Select the PST file you want to use for archiving. 
  • Set the archiving criteria (e.g., date range, folder selection). 
  • Enable automatic archiving to move older emails to the PST file automatically. 

Important points to remember:

• IMAP stores emails on the server: By default, IMAP emails are only downloaded to your computer temporarily, so moving them to a local PST file is crucial for permanent storage. 
• Regular backups: Always back up your PST files to ensure your saved emails are protected in case of computer failure. 
• Consider the size of your PST file: Large PST files can impact Outlook performance, so periodically clean up old emails or create multiple PST files for different categories.