Saved a client inbox before a move
I move client sites between hosts and always dread the old cPanel mailbox getting wiped. Punched in the IMAP server from the panel, ticked every folder and had a clean PST before I cancelled the old plan. Painless.
Corbett
Corbett Webmail Backup Tool pulls a hosting mailbox out of Roundcube, Horde or SquirrelMail on cPanel or Plesk and saves it on Windows in eight formats from PST to TXT. It talks IMAP to the mail server named in the hosting panel, so no SSH or file manager access is needed.
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The PC connects to the host IMAP server itself. Corbett relays nothing.
Free demo, scanned clean on VirusTotal and a 30-day money-back window.
Lifetime licence from $99 Free trial saves 10 emails per folder
Hosting mailbox coverage
Cancel a hosting plan or move a domain and the old mailbox is wiped. Webmail Backup Tool copies that mailbox to a local drive first. Below is what the backup holds and what stays with the hosting panel.
Comes across
7Webmail clients
7Saves as
8Not included
5The webmail client is just a window onto IMAP
Roundcube, Horde and SquirrelMail all open the same mailbox on the server. Whichever one the host shows in the browser makes no difference, because Webmail Backup Tool talks to the IMAP mailbox directly.
Named hosts have pages of their own: GoDaddy email backup tool, Bluehost backup tool and cPanel email backup software. Any other mail source is on the email backup software page.
Quick answer
Webmail Backup Tool is a Windows program that pulls a hosting mailbox out of Roundcube, Horde or SquirrelMail on cPanel or Plesk. It talks IMAP to the mail server named in the hosting panel, so no SSH or file manager access is needed.
What it saves
Hosting mail, attachments and folder tree
Where it saves
A folder, a USB disk, a NAS share or a new host
Who uses it
Site owners, web developers and agencies moving hosts
Core features
Five screens of the webmail backup software, from server details to the file on disk.
Connect
Select the IMAP option and enter the incoming server, port, email address and password. These four values sit in the hosting panel, on the Connect Devices page next to the webmail login.
The incoming server is commonly mail.yourdomain or the host name in cPanel. Use port 993 with SSL, or 143 where the host has no certificate, and the full email address as the username. Proxy support covers a server behind a firewall.
Folder selection
Hosting inboxes pile up contact-form leads, order receipts and server alerts. The folder tree shows every one with a message count, so a single busy folder can be archived and the noise skipped.
Tick any IMAP folder or subfolder, cPanel or Plesk alike. The folder tree is kept intact in the saved copy, and empty folders can be tucked away on request.
Message preview
Any message opens next to four forensic tabs. Web developers handing a site to a client use the header and raw tabs to prove which address actually sent an order or a complaint.
Content renders body text above the address fields, message header exposes every hop between sender and inbox, properties covers flags, size and attached items, and hex and raw message return the source as stored.
Selective backup
Filters apply before the copy begins, so the disk holds only the selected mail. On a shared hosting inbox that is one project, or everything before the date a site changed hands.
Date range with start and end dates, find mail by sender, recipient, subject line or body words, messages that carry an attachment only, a size ceiling and skip junk or repeated messages.
Output options
Last step: choose the target. A local folder, USB disk, NAS share or a fresh mailbox on the new host all work. Document files follow a naming rule, so thousands of saved emails stay searchable.
Outlook PST or MBOX for Thunderbird, plus EML and MSG, PDF and HTML for clients, CSV and TXT for records. Move mail into Gmail, a new host or another cPanel mailbox with the email migration tool.
Flexible use
One hosting mailbox, a list of client mailboxes or a move to a new host: Webmail Backup Tool handles all three. Test your job in free demo before you buy.
Back up one hosting mailbox
Enter the IMAP server from the panel, tick folders and save a PST or PDF copy before the plan ends.
Back up client mailboxes
Add every address on the domain, then process the queue in one go. Every mailbox gets a separate file.
Move hosting mail to a new host
Name a mailbox on the new host or Gmail as the target and the mail lands in matching folders.
Before connecting
A hosting mailbox has no fixed server like Gmail, so three details come from the hosting panel before the first backup.
In cPanel
The server name and port
Open Email Accounts, then Connect Devices next to the address. The page lists the secure IMAP server and port 993. Plesk shows the same under Mail then the account. Copy those values into Webmail Backup Tool with the address and password.
Which client
Roundcube or Horde does not matter
A webmail client in the browser only alters how mail looks on screen. Roundcube, Horde and SquirrelMail all sit on one IMAP mailbox. The backup copies that mailbox, not the client. Horde was dropped from cPanel in 2022 and SquirrelMail years before.
If it fails
A blocked port or self-signed cert
Some hosts sit IMAP on a non-standard port or use a certificate the tool flags. Port 143 without SSL works where 993 is closed, and the connection can be allowed past a self-signed certificate. Both are set on the same sign-in screen.
Well-known hosts have their own pages, like the GoDaddy email backup tool, Bluehost backup tool and cPanel email backup software. Webmail Backup Tool covers any IMAP mailbox without a page of its own.
Working process
Follow four steps to get a hosting mailbox onto your drive. Practice on one folder in free demo.
Enter the IMAP server details
Install Webmail Backup Tool, select IMAP and type the incoming server, port, email address and password from the hosting panel.
Select folders and filters
The mailbox shows as a tree with counts. Tick the folders to save, then limit by date, sender, attachment or size.
Select format and location
Choose PST, MBOX, EML, MSG, PDF, HTML, CSV or TXT, then point the tool at a folder, a USB disk or a NAS share.
Start webmail backup
Press Export and track every folder on the progress screen. A log and a CSV report list all saved mail.
Want screenshots for every click? Follow IMAP backup guide.
Working process
Prefer screenshots? The IMAP backup guide covers a Roundcube or Horde backup click by click.
Advanced options
Small options that save hours on busy hosting inboxes.
IMAP server and port
Port 993 with SSL or 143 without
Self-signed cert allowed
Connect past a certificate warning
Several mailboxes queued
One separate file per address
Totals per folder
A running tally beside every folder
Date range filter
Frame the backup with From and To dates
Sender and text search
Look up by sender, recipient, subject or words
Attachment filter
Only mail carrying attachments
Size limit
Leave oversized messages behind
Duplicates dropped
Drop junk and repeated copies
Resume on drop
A broken connection resumes, not restarts
Folder, USB or NAS
Save to a folder, USB disk or NAS share
Log and CSV report
Proof of what was saved
Choose output
Eight output formats are on offer. Match the format to what you plan to do with the saved mail.
| Format | Best for | Opens in |
|---|---|---|
| PST | Outlook users and mail that may move to a new host | Microsoft Outlook |
| MBOX | Moving mail to a free email client | Thunderbird and Apple Mail |
| EML | One file per email, easy to search | Windows Mail and most email clients |
| MSG | Single messages kept as Outlook items | Microsoft Outlook |
| Printing and reading without Outlook | Any PDF viewer | |
| HTML | Reading mail with no email client | Any web browser |
| CSV | Lists of senders, dates and subjects | Excel and Google Sheets |
| TXT | Plain text archives of hosting mail | Any text editor |
Free demo
Put Webmail Backup Tool to Work on One Inbox
Install the demo, enter the IMAP server name and port from the hosting panel, tick one folder and select a format. Files appear only once the backup begins.
Download free demoTry before you buy
Free demo connects over IMAP, shows every folder, applies every filter and previews mail. Only saving is capped.
| Feature | Free demo | Full version |
|---|---|---|
| IMAP sign-in and folder list | Yes | Yes |
| Preview, filter and analysis views | All available | All available |
| Emails saved per folder | 10 | Unlimited |
| Mailbox size limit | Saving stops at 10 per folder | None |
| Price | Free | $99 one time |
| Machines per licence | Not applicable | Up to 5 |
| Money back window | Not applicable | 30 days |
Use cases
Email tied to a hosting account is only as safe as the account. Three moments where a local copy earns its place.
Leaving a host
When a domain moves or a plan is cancelled, the old mailbox is wiped. Save every folder before the switch.
A full quota
A busy address hits its quota fast and senders get a bounce. Move old years to a local file to clear space.
A suspended account
A missed hosting invoice can lock the panel overnight. A copy on a local drive keeps the mail reachable.
Why Corbett
One licence
Covers any IMAP host and 209+ other providers
No subscription
Lifetime price from $99
Read-only access
Nothing is deleted on the host
Direct connection
PC connects to the host itself
Eight formats
Plus move to a new host
No size limit
Any mailbox size or message count
Free demo
10 emails saved per folder
30 day money back
Refund window on every licence
Before purchase
Thunderbird can add any IMAP mailbox from a host and keep a synced copy at no cost. That suits one inbox living inside Thunderbird. Below is where it falls short.
| Task | Thunderbird over IMAP | Webmail Backup Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free and open source | $99 one time |
| One mailbox kept inside a mail client | Exactly its purpose | Handles it too, alongside the rest |
| Where the copy lives | Inside the Thunderbird profile, hard to reuse | A standalone file to name and move |
| Output format | MBOX inside the profile only | PST, PDF and six other outputs |
| Filter by date, sender or subject | No filtered export | Narrow by date, sender or size first |
| Several mailboxes | Add one at a time, then wait for every sync | Process them as one batch |
| Waiting on a full sync | The entire mailbox downloads into the profile | Pulls from the server straight to a file |
| Headers and raw source | Behind a source-view shortcut | Every email inspectable before the save |
Rows tinted green are where Thunderbird wins.
One mailbox that can live inside Thunderbird: add it over IMAP and pay nothing. For a standalone file, a chosen format, a filtered slice or several mailboxes at once, Webmail Backup Tool is worth it. To convert a finished file later, use the email converter tool.
Specifications
Download details
System
Supported editions
Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8 and 7, in 32 and 64 bit. Windows Server 2025 down to 2008. Outlook is not required.
No macOS or Linux build.
Corbett has built Windows email utilities since 2020. Questions about Webmail Backup Tool go straight to its developers.
Full specification
Complete source and output list for Corbett Webmail Backup Tool.
Goes in
Webmail account sources
Comes out
Backup destinations
To convert saved files later, use email converter tool or single-format PST File Converter Tool, MBOX File Converter and EML Converter Tool. To move a hosting mailbox to a new provider, use email migration tool. To open a saved file without exporting, use free email viewer software.
User testimonials
Across 683 reviews of the backup and restore wizard behind Corbett Webmail Backup Tool.
Pulled from 683 reviews on rating sites and customer emails. Below are three, quoted exactly.
I move client sites between hosts and always dread the old cPanel mailbox getting wiped. Punched in the IMAP server from the panel, ticked every folder and had a clean PST before I cancelled the old plan. Painless.
Our host retired SquirrelMail but the mailbox was still there. I was sure the mail was stuck. Turns out the tool just connects over IMAP and ignores the interface completely. Pulled fifteen years of records without a hitch.
The info address on our domain kept bouncing mail because the mailbox was full. Backed up everything older than two years to a PST, deleted it from the server, and the quota warning was gone. Copy is on our NAS now.
Best practice
Saved mail is only useful if it opens later. These four habits protect your hosting mail archive.
Back up before the host change
Save the mailbox before a plan is cancelled, a domain moves or an invoice lapses.
Open a sample file
After saving, open a handful of messages. Confirm folders, photos and attachments came across.
Keep PST and PDF
Repeat the backup with a second format. PST for Outlook and PDF for reading anywhere is a common pair.
Store a copy elsewhere
Keep one copy on a home drive and one on a USB stick or NAS, named by address and date.
Common questions
IMAP settings, supported webmail clients and where the software stops.
Roundcube, Horde and SquirrelMail, plus any cPanel or Plesk mailbox and any other IMAP host. They all open the same mailbox on the server, so the tool connects to that mailbox over IMAP instead of any one client.
In cPanel, open Email Accounts and click Connect Devices next to the address. The secure IMAP server and port 993 are listed there. Plesk shows the same under Mail. Copy those into the tool with your full address and password.
No. You only need the IMAP server name, the port, your email address and its password. All four come from the panel, but the backup itself works from your own PC and never touches the server beyond a normal mail connection.
Yes. cPanel removed SquirrelMail as a browser client, but the mailbox behind it is unchanged and still reachable over IMAP. The same is true of Horde, which cPanel dropped in 2022. The backup copies the mailbox, not the retired interface.
No. The tool saves the mailbox only. Horde stores calendar and contact data in its own modules outside the IMAP mail store, so those are not part of a mail backup. Export them separately from Horde if you need them.
Some hosts block port 993 or serve a self-signed certificate. Try port 143 without SSL, or allow the connection past the certificate warning. Both are set on the screen where the server and password go, and neither needs anything changed on the host.
PST if the mail may go into Outlook or a new host later. PDF if the copy is for a client, an auditor or a PC without Outlook. A second backup in the other format is common.
No. The tool only copies the mailbox. After the local copy opens correctly, delete old folders in Roundcube or Horde to get back under the hosting quota.
The licensed edition sets no cap on mailbox size. A large account is slower because the host limits download speed, but the backup finishes. If the connection drops, it resumes from the last saved message.
No. The program works on your computer and connects to your host mail server over IMAP. The backup file lands on a drive you choose, never on a Corbett machine.
No. It is a Windows application only, from Windows 7 through Windows 11 and Windows Server 2008 through 2025. It connects over IMAP, so the host and its panel can be anything.
The demo connects to any IMAP hosting mailbox, lists every folder and opens preview plus filters. Output stops after 10 emails per folder, so the PST or PDF can be checked before buying.
Yes. Add every address with its own password and queue them together. Every mailbox gets a separate output file, so a client handover stays tidy.
Yes. A Maildir copied from the server can be read from disk. For that job the Maildir backup tool page has the details.
Yes. Plesk shows the IMAP server and port under Mail, then the account. Enter them the same way as cPanel values.
Yes. Filters cover From and To dates, sender, recipient, subject, words in the mail, attachments and size. On a shared inbox that is one project.
Yes. Hand mail over with the email migration tool. For Gmail see Roundcube to Gmail.
No. It only reads the mailbox. Delete old folders yourself once the archive is checked.
Yes. Open it read-only in the free email viewer software.
Yes. Windows 11 and 10 are supported along with all older versions.
Type that port on the sign-in screen. Ports other than 993 and 143 work as long as the host allows IMAP connections from your PC.
One payment of $99 buys a lifetime licence for up to 5 machines, with a 30 day refund window.
Step by step
Guides for hosting mail jobs before and after a webmail backup.
Exporting hosting mail
Moving to another host
The full list of providers sits on the email backup software page. Moving a hosting mailbox uses the email migration tool, and putting saved mail back into an inbox uses email recovery software. Related backups: Outlook.com backup tool, Office 365 backup tool, Gmail backup tool, Yahoo backup tool, iCloud backup tool, Google Workspace backup tool and Webmail backup tool.
Get started
Grab the Webmail Backup Tool demo, type the IMAP server from cPanel and save a few messages per folder. The full licence is a single $99 payment and can be refunded within 30 days.
Download free demo Purchase now
87.4 MB · Windows 11 to 7 and Windows Server 2025 to 2008 · 30 day money back