Set up email accounts, import data, or restore from a backup.
Andre Klapper
ak-47@gmx.net

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

# Starting Evolution for the first time

Evolution allows you to access your personal information like your calendars, mail, address books and tasks in one place.

The first time you run Evolution, it opens the First-Run Assistant. It helps you set up email accounts and import data from other applications.

This assistant is not shown if there is an already configured e-mail account in Online accounts as that account is automatically picked by Evolution. Not all options of such accounts can be edited in Evolution and such accounts can only be removed in Online accounts itself.

# Identity

Here you define your name and your email address.

Optionally you can set a Reply-To email address (if you want replies to messages sent to a different address), set an organization (a company or organization you represent when you send email from this account), your default signature for this account, and email aliases.

# Restore from backup

You will be asked whether to restore from a backup of a previous version. If you do not have a backup, go to the next page.

## Show how to restore from a backup

## Restoring

Select File Restore Evolution Data….

Choose the file, and click Open.

You will be asked to close Evolution. Answer with Yes.

# Receiving Email

First, choose the server type from the Server Type drop-down list.

If you are unsure about the type of server to choose, ask your system administrator or Internet Service Provider.

Later on, if you want to change an account, or if you want to create another one, go to Edit Preferences Mail Accounts. Select the account you want to change, then click Edit. Alternately, add a new account by clicking Add.

## IMAP+

Keeps the mail on the server so you can access your mail from multiple systems.

### Show how to configure this account type

### IMAP+ receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Enter the address of the email server in the Server field and enter your username for that server.

Select if you want to use a secure connection (TLS or its deprecated predecessor SSL).

You should enable this option if your server supports it.

Free webmail providers often supply information about which of these options can be used. If you are in an organizational environment, you may want to contact your system administrator for more information.

Select your authentication type in the Authentication list, or click Check for Supported Types to have Evolution check for supported authentication mechanisms. Some servers do not announce the authentication mechanisms they support, so clicking this button is not a guarantee that available mechanisms actually work.

Select if you want Evolution to remember your password.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Evolution to check automatically for new messages, click the Check for new messages every … minutes option and select the frequency in minutes.

Select Use Quick Resync if the IMAP server supports IMAP4 Extensions for Quick Mailbox Resynchronization.

If the mail server does not allow multiple connections from Evolution to the server at the same time (for example when you have more than one account on that server), set Number of concurrent connections to use to 1.

You can also define if Evolution checks for new messages in all folders, or only in subscribed folders.

Select if you want Evolution to show only subscribed folders.

Select if you want filters to be automatically applied on mail that you receive, if spam should be automatically filtered, and if mail on the server should be synchronized with your local copy for offline access to it.

## POP

Downloads your email to your hard disk.

### Show how to configure this account type

### POP receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Enter the address of the email server in the Server field and enter your username for that server.

Select if you want to use a secure connection (TLS or its deprecated predecessor SSL).

You should enable this option if your server supports it.

Free webmail providers often supply information about which of these options can be used. If you are in an organizational environment, you may want to contact your system administrator for more information.

Select your authentication type in the Authentication list, or click Check for Supported Types to have Evolution check for supported authentication mechanisms. Some servers do not announce the authentication mechanisms they support, so clicking this button is not a guarantee that available mechanisms actually work.

Select if you want Evolution to remember your password.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Evolution to check automatically for new messages, click the Check for new messages every … minutes option and select the frequency in minutes.

If you want the messages to remain on the server for a period of time, click the Leave messages on server option and the Delete after ... days option and select the number of days to allow messages to remain on the server. Set 0 days to keep messages on the server forever.

The option Disable support for all POP3 extensions is only useful when accessing old or misconfigured mail servers. POP3 extensions provide enhanced functionality, however only some servers support them. In case of problems with receiving mail, enabling this setting might help.

## USENET News

Connects to a news server and downloads a list of available news digests.

### Show how to configure this account type

### Usenet news receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Enter the address of the email server in the Server field and enter your username for that server.

Select if you want to use a secure connection (TLS or its deprecated predecessor SSL).

You should enable this option if your server supports it.

Free webmail providers often supply information about which of these options can be used. If you are in an organizational environment, you may want to contact your system administrator for more information.

Select your authentication type in the Authentication list, or click Check for Supported Types to have Evolution check for supported authentication mechanisms. Some servers do not announce the authentication mechanisms they support, so clicking this button is not a guarantee that available mechanisms actually work.

Select if you want Evolution to remember your password.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Evolution to check automatically for new messages, click the Check for new messages every … minutes option and select the frequency in minutes.

Select if you want to show folders in short notation.

For example, comp.os.linux would appear as c.o.linux.

Select if you want to show relative folder names in the subscriptions window.

If you select to show relative folder names, only the name of the folder is displayed. For example the folder evolution.mail would appear as evolution.

## Exchange EWS

For connecting to a Microsoft Exchange server (version 2007 or newer) or OpenChange server, it is recommended to use the package evolution-ews.

This requires having the evolution-ews package installed.

Install evolution-ews

### Show how to configure this account type

### Exchange Web Services receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Enter your username for that server.

Either manually enter the Host URL and OAB URL, or click Fetch URL which will ask you for your password and then try to automatically fill in the values.

If you are in an organizational environment, you may want to contact your system administrator for more information.

Select your authentication type in the Authentication list, or click Check for Supported Types to have Evolution check for supported authentication mechanisms. Some servers do not announce the authentication mechanisms they support, so clicking this button is not a guarantee that available mechanisms actually work.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Evolution to check automatically for new messages, click the Check for new messages every … minutes option and select the frequency in minutes.

You can also define if Evolution checks for new messages in all folders.

If you would like to have a copy of the address book on the server for offline access to it, enable Cache offline address book and click Fetch list. Afterwards, select the address book from the available options.

Select if you want filters to be automatically applied on mail that you receive, if spam should be automatically filtered, and if mail on the server should be synchronized with your local copy for offline access to it.

## Exchange MAPI

For connecting to a Microsoft Exchange 2007/2010 or OpenChange server.

It uses Microsoft's Messaging API which is also used by Microsoft Outlook. However, evolution-mapi requires installing OpenChange and Samba 4, and is not as performant as evolution-ews.

This requires having the evolution-mapi package installed.

Install evolution-mapi

### Show how to configure this account type

### Exchange MAPI receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Enter the address of the email server in the Server field and enter your username for that server.

Enter the Domain name for that server.

If you are in an organizational environment, you may want to contact your system administrator for more information.

Select your authentication type in the Authentication list, or click Check for Supported Types to have Evolution check for supported authentication mechanisms. Some servers do not announce the authentication mechanisms they support, so clicking this button is not a guarantee that available mechanisms actually work.

Select if you want to use a secure connection (TLS or its deprecated predecessor SSL).

Click Authenticate and enter your password.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Evolution to check automatically for new messages, click the Check for new messages every … minutes option and select the frequency in minutes.

You can also define if Evolution checks for new messages in all folders.

## Local delivery

Local delivery: If you want to move email from the spool (the location where mail waits for delivery) and store it in your home directory. You need to provide the path to the mail spool you want to use. If you want to leave email in your system's spool files, choose the Standard Unix Mbox Spool option instead.

### Show how to configure this account type

### Local delivery receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Choose the file by clicking on the button next to File in the Configuration section. This will open a file chooser window.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Evolution to check automatically for new messages, click the Check for new messages every … minutes option and select the frequency in minutes.

## MH-Format Mail Directories

For downloading email using MH or another MH-style application.

### Show how to configure this account type

### MH-format mail directories receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Choose the directory by clicking on the button next to Path in the Configuration section. Some default folders are available in the list. If the directory is not among those folders, choose the last option Other.... This will open a directory chooser window.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Evolution to check automatically for new messages, click the Check for new messages every … minutes option and select the frequency in minutes.

## Maildir-Format Mail Directories

Maildir-Format Mail Directories: For downloading your email using Qmail or another Maildir-style application.

### Show how to configure this account type

### Maildir-format mail directories receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Choose the directory by clicking on the button next to Path in the Configuration section. Some default folders are available in the list. If the directory is not among those folders, choose the last option Other.... This will open a directory chooser window.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Evolution to check automatically for new messages, click the Check for new messages every … minutes option and select the frequency in minutes.

If you want Filters to be automatically used for new messages in your inbox, enable Apply filters to new messages in Inbox.

## Standard Unix mbox spool file

Standard Unix mbox spool file: For reading and storing email in the mail spool file on your local system.

### Show how to configure this account type

### Standard Unix mbox spool file receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Choose the file by clicking on the button next to File in the Configuration section. This will open a file chooser window.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Evolution to check automatically for new messages, click the Check for new messages every … minutes option and select the frequency in minutes.

If you want Filters to be automatically used for new messages in your inbox, enable Apply filters to new messages in Inbox.

## Standard Unix mbox spool directory

Standard Unix mbox spool directory: For reading and storing email in the mail spool directory on your local system.

### Show how to configure this account type

### Standard Unix mbox spool directory receiving options

#### Receiving Email

On the Receiving Email page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Email):

Choose the directory by clicking on the button next to Path in the Configuration section. Some default folders are available in the list. If the directory is not among those folders, choose the last option Other…. This will open a directory chooser window.

#### Receiving Options

On the Receiving Options page (accessible via Edit Preferences Mail Accounts Edit Receiving Options):

If you want Filters to be automatically used for new messages in your inbox, enable Apply filters to new messages in Inbox.

## None

If you do not plan to use Evolution for receiving email.

# Sending mail

Available server types are:

## SMTP

Sends mail using an outbound mail server. This is the most common choice for sending mail.

### Show how to configure this account type

### SMTP sending options

Enter the address of your mail server for sending mail in the Server field and select if the server requires authentication (entering a username and a password).

Free webmail providers often supply information about which of these options can be used. If you are in an organizational environment, you may want to contact your system administrator for more information.

If the server requires authentication, you need to provide the following information:

Select the authentication type in the Authentication list, or click Check for Supported Types to have Evolution check. Some servers do not support this, so clicking this button is not a guarantee that available mechanisms actually work.

Enter your username.

Choose Use a secure connection if you want to connect securely.

## Sendmail

Uses the Sendmail application to send mail from your system. It is not easy to configure, so you should select this option only if you know how to set up a Sendmail service.

# Account Information

Give the account any name you prefer.

# Importing Mail (Optional)

Continue with Importing data from another application.