> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://plains-guide.gitbook.io/plains-guides/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://plains-guide.gitbook.io/plains-guides/aco-form-guides/what-is-imap-and-app-password.md).

# What Is Imap & App Password

#### <mark style="color:yellow;">What is IMAP?</mark>

**IMAP** stands for **Internet Message Access Protocol**. It's a standard protocol used by email clients to **access and manage email messages** on a mail server. IMAP allows you to:

* View and sync your emails across multiple devices.
* Keep your emails stored on the server (not just downloaded to one device).
* Organize messages into folders, mark as read/unread, etc.

It's commonly used for accessing Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other email services.

#### <mark style="color:yellow;">Why Do You Need an IMAP App Password for Botting?</mark>

When you're **botting** (e.g. account creation, verification, monitoring inboxes for confirmation links), your bot often needs to **log into an email account programmatically** to:

* Read verification codes or links
* Detect new messages from services you're botting
* Automatically confirm emails

\ <mark style="color:yellow;">What is an App Password?</mark>

An **App Password** is a special, **one-time-use password** generated by your email provider (like Gmail) that:

* **Bypasses two-factor authentication (2FA)**.
* Allows **third-party apps or bots** to access your email using IMAP/SMTP.
* Keeps your main password and account secure.