# IMAP access is unavailable

What happened, what it means, and what to do next.

- [All support guides](/snapattic/support/)
- [Snapattic home](/snapattic/)

Your selected provider is not offering the required IMAP access, so Snapattic cannot find photos.

## What to do
1. Try **Reconnect** once in case the provider returned a temporary error.
2. Confirm that Gmail, iCloud, or Yahoo is using a provider-generated app password—not the primary
   password. Microsoft must use the in-app personal-account sign-in.
3. If the same message returns, choose **Try another mailbox**.

## Why we need IMAP
Snapattic reads attachments over a private, direct IMAP connection to your computer. It is
**read-only**: it can list and read messages, but never modify, move, flag, or delete them. Your
photos and email content never leave your machine.

## Work or school accounts
The release supports personal mailboxes only. Microsoft work/school accounts and custom domains are
excluded, and provider policies can make IMAP unavailable. Snapattic cannot change that policy. See
[Account type blocked](./account-type-blocked.md).