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Mutt: IMAP & SMTP Configuration (Linux Terminal)

Mutt is an excellent, open-source, messaging client that functions through the Linux terminal. Many security experts are still using this because it has good PGP support, it’s fast, and can be customised to one’s taste. It isn’t recommended for those who only begin learning about command-based interfaces. There are a few things that need to be configured in the /etc/muttrc file, such as  IMAP y SMTP. However, once these few things have been dealt with, it is quite easy to use to receive/send e-mail. 

This is the step by step, command-line based process:

  1. Download and install mutt.  
    sudo apt-get install mutt
  2. Open the file with your preferred text-editor. I use Vim.  
    vim /etc/Muttrc
  3. Create a commentary “e-mail-configuration” so it is easy to understand in the future.  
     #e-mail-configuration
  4. Next, paste the following information. Make sure to replace “username@email.com”, and “password” with your real details.  
    # IMAP
set from         = "username@email.com"
set imap_user         = "username@email.com" 
set imap_pass = "password" 
set folder = "imaps://imap.gmail.com:993" 
set imap_check_subscribed
  5. # SMTP 
set smtp_url = "smtp://username@smtp.email.com:587/" 
set smtp_pass = "password" set spoolfile = "+INBOX" 
set postponed = "+[Gmail]/Drafts" set trash = "imaps://imap.gmail.com/[Gmail]/Trash" set header_cache =~/.mutt/cache/headers set message_cachedir =~/.mutt/cache/bodies set certificate_file =~/.mutt/certificates

     

  6. Finally, execute:
     mkdir -p /home/.mutt/cache

 

That’s it. Now Mutt is ready to go.