How to Manage POP3 and IMAP4 Message Retrieval Format Options

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 will reach end of support on April 11, 2017. To stay supported, you will need to upgrade. For more information, see Resources to help you upgrade your Office 2007 servers and clients.

 

Applies to: Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP3

This topic describes how to manage message retrieval format options for users on a Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 computer that has the Client Access server role installed and the Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) service or the Internet Message Access Protocol version 4rev1 (IMAP4) service enabled. In the original release (RTM) version of Exchange 2007, you could only manage POP3 and IMAP4 message retrieval options by using the Exchange Management Shell. In Exchange 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1), you can also manage POP3 and IMAP4 message retrieval options by using the Exchange Management Console. Steps for doing this are included in this topic.

You can manage the message retrieval options for IMAP4 and POP3 access for an individual user's mailbox by using the Exchange Management Console or by using the Set-CASMailbox cmdlet in the Exchange Management Shell. The following table describes the message retrieval format options that are available for POP3 and IMAP4 users.

Note

After you have specified message retrieval format options for POP3 or IMAP4, you must restart whichever service you are using: POP3 or IMAP4. For more information about how to restart the POP3 and IMAP4 services, see How to Start and Stop the POP3 Service and How to Start and Stop the IMAP4 Service.

New in Exchange 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

In Exchange 2007 SP1, you can manage the message retrieval options for your POP3 and IMAP4 users by using the Exchange Management Console.

Message retrieval format options for POP3 and IMAP4

Setting Value Description

PopMessagesRetrievalMimeFormat

  • 0:Text Only

  • 1:HTML Only

  • 2:HTML and Alternative Text

  • 3:Enriched Text Only

  • 4:Enriched Text and Alternative Text

  • 5:Best Body Format

This setting lets you set the POP3 message retrieval format for an individual user.

ImapMessagesRetrievalMimeFormat

  • 0:Text Only

  • 1:HTML Only

  • 2:HTML and Alternative Text

  • 3:Enriched Text Only

  • 4:Enriched Text and Alternative Text

  • 5:Best Body Format

This setting lets you set the IMAP4 message retrieval format for an individual user.

Before You Begin

To perform these procedures, the account you use must be delegated the Exchange Server Administrators role and membership in the local Administrators group for the target server.

For more information about permissions, delegating roles, and the rights that are required to administer Exchange 2007, see Permission Considerations.

Procedure

Exchange 2007 SP1

To use the Exchange Management Console to set the message retrieval format for a POP3 user

  1. In the console tree, expand Server Configuration, and then click Client Access.

  2. In the work pane, click the POP3 and IMAP4 tab.

  3. In the work pane, select POP3 and then, in the result pane, click Properties.

  4. On the POP3 Properties page, click the Retrieval Settings tab.

  5. In the Message Retrieval pane, select a message format from the drop-down list under Message MIME format.

  6. Click Apply, and then click OK to save your changes.

To use the Exchange Management Console to set the message retrieval format for an IMAP4 user

  1. In the console tree, expand Server Configuration, and then click Client Access.

  2. In the work pane, click the POP3 and IMAP4 tab.

  3. In the work pane, select IMAP4 and then, in the result pane, click Properties.

  4. On the IMAP4 Properties page, click the Retrieval Settings tab.

  5. In the Message Retrieval pane, select a message format from the drop-down list under Message MIME format.

  6. Click Apply, and then click OK to save your changes.

To use the Exchange Management Shell to set the message retrieval format for a POP3 user

  • Run the following command:

    Set-CASMailbox -Identity CAS01 -PopMessagesRetrievalMimeFormat value
    

    Use one of the message retrieval format options listed in the Value column in the "Message retrieval format options for POP3 and IMAP4" table.

To use the Exchange Management Shell to set the message retrieval format for a IMAP4 user

  • Run the following command:

    Set-CASMailbox -Identity CAS01 -ImapMessagesRetrievalMimeFormat value
    

    Use one of the message retrieval format options listed in the Value column in the "Message retrieval format options for POP3 and IMAP4" table.

For more information about syntax and parameters, see Set-CASMailbox.

Exchange 2007 RTM

To use the Exchange Management Shell to set the message retrieval format for a POP3 user

  • Run the following command:

    Set-CASMailbox -Identity CAS01 -PopMessagesRetrievalMimeFormat value
    

    Use one of the message retrieval format options listed in the Value column in the "Message retrieval format options for POP3 and IMAP4" table.

To use the Exchange Management Shell to set the message retrieval format for a IMAP4 user

  • Run the following command:

    Set-CASMailbox -Identity CAS01 -ImapMessagesRetrievalMimeFormat value
    

    Use one of the message retrieval format options listed in the Value column in the "Message retrieval format options for POP3 and IMAP4" table.

For more information about syntax and parameters, see Set-CASMailbox (RTM).

For More Information

For more information about how to manage POP3 and IMAP4 access for Exchange 2007, see Managing POP3 and IMAP4.