Actions6
- Mailbox Actions
- Email Actions
Overview
The IMAP node for n8n allows you to interact with email mailboxes using the IMAP protocol. Specifically, when using the Mailbox → Get Quota operation, this node retrieves quota information (such as storage limits and usage) for a specified mailbox folder on your email server. This is useful for monitoring mailbox storage, automating alerts when quotas are near limits, or integrating mailbox health checks into workflows.
Practical examples:
- Automatically notify users when their mailbox is nearing its storage limit.
- Periodically log mailbox usage statistics for compliance or reporting.
- Trigger cleanup or archiving processes if a mailbox exceeds a certain threshold.
Properties
| Name | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Credential Type | options | Selects which credentials to use for connecting to the IMAP server. Options include using credentials defined in this node or reusing those from an existing n8n IMAP Trigger node. |
| Mailbox | resourceLocator | Specifies the mailbox (folder) to check the quota for. You can select from a list of available mailboxes or enter the full path manually. Leave as "INBOX" unless your provider supports per-folder quotas. |
Output
The output will be a JSON object containing the quota details for the selected mailbox. While the exact structure depends on the IMAP server's response, typical fields may include:
{
"mailbox": "INBOX",
"quota": {
"usage": 12345,
"limit": 50000,
"unit": "bytes"
}
}
mailbox: The name or path of the mailbox queried.quota.usage: The current storage used.quota.limit: The maximum allowed storage.quota.unit: The unit of measurement (commonly bytes).
Note: If the IMAP server does not support per-folder quotas, only the main mailbox quota may be returned.
Dependencies
- IMAP Server: Requires access to an IMAP-compatible email server.
- Credentials: Valid IMAP account credentials must be provided via the selected method.
- n8n Configuration: No special environment variables required beyond standard credential setup.
Troubleshooting
Common Issues:
- Authentication Errors: Incorrect credentials or authentication type will prevent connection. Double-check username, password, and authentication method.
- Mailbox Not Found: Specifying a non-existent mailbox path will result in errors. Use the list selector to avoid typos.
- Quota Not Supported: Some servers do not provide quota information or only support it at the account level.
- Connection Failures: Network issues or incorrect server settings (host/port/SSL) can cause connection errors.
Error Messages:
"Connection failed: ...": Indicates network or authentication problems. Check credentials and server accessibility."Unknown operation ...": The selected operation/resource combination is invalid—ensure you have chosen "Get Quota" under "Mailbox"."Operation ... returned no data": The server did not return any quota information, possibly because quotas are not supported for the selected mailbox.