shipmail

Android instant notifications

shipmail works with Android email apps over standard IMAP. Instant notifications depend on the app keeping an IMAP push connection open for each account and folder you care about.

This is different from Gmail, Outlook, or Yandex notifying their own hosted accounts by default. For a custom IMAP mailbox, the Android app controls background sync, notifications, and push folder settings.

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Before you configure push

  • Add each mailbox as its own IMAP account. Use your full email address as the username.
  • Use mx1.shipmail.to, port 993, SSL/TLS for incoming mail.
  • If one mailbox receives instantly and another does not, the server path is working. The accounts most likely have different app, folder, or Android background settings.

View all IMAP and SMTP connection settings

Thunderbird for Android

  1. Open Thunderbird for Android and tap the menu icon. If accounts are hidden, tap Show accounts.
  2. Tap the shipmail account, then tap Manage folders.
  3. Tap Inbox. Turn on Enable Push and Notifications.
  4. Turn off Enable sync for that folder after push is enabled. Sync is for periodic polling, not instant delivery.
  5. Repeat those folder settings for every other folder that needs instant alerts. Keep the list small.
  6. Open the settings gear, choose the same account, then go to Fetching mail > Advanced. Make sure Max folders to check with push is at least the number of folders you enabled.

Mozilla documents these Thunderbird for Android push settings in its push email guide.

Android permissions

  • Allow notifications for Thunderbird in Android app settings.
  • On Android 13 and later, grant the alarms and reminders permission if Thunderbird asks for it.
  • Set battery usage to unrestricted or allow background activity for the app.
  • Leaving the app in the background is fine. Force-stopping it or swiping it away from recent apps can stop the push service.

If push is enabled but still delayed

Treat each mailbox as a separate account. A working setup on one address does not copy the same push, folder, notification, or Android battery settings to the other addresses.

  • Confirm Enable Push and Notifications are on for that account's Inbox, not just enabled somewhere in account settings.
  • Check Max folders to check with push. If the account has more push folders than this limit, some folders can silently stop receiving instant updates.
  • Check Android notification categories. The push service notification is separate from new email message notifications.
  • Check battery settings for the mail app again after Android updates. Some device makers reset or tighten background restrictions.

Test each mailbox

  1. Send a test email from another provider to the shipmail address.
  2. Leave Thunderbird in the background and wait up to one minute.
  3. If the message appears only after opening the app or pulling to refresh, check that account's Inbox push, notifications, max push folders, and Android battery settings.
  4. Repeat the test for every shipmail account. Push settings do not carry over from one account to another.

Other Android email apps

The same rule applies in FairEmail and other IMAP clients: enable notifications for the account, enable IMAP push or IDLE for the Inbox, and allow the app to run in the background. If an app only polls custom IMAP accounts, notifications will not be instant.