IMAP supports a search command that is quite powerful. Imap class encapsulated the command into an easy-to-use method called ListMessages which give you ability to search for messages matching given criteria.

The following steps will help you to search messages that match a specified criteria:

Searching messages

1. Add using directives to your code to create aliases for existing namespaces and avoid having to type the fully qualified type names. The code looks similar to the following:
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   C#

   VB.NET

   using System;
   using ComponentPro.Net;
   using ComponentPro.Net.Mail;
   

   Imports ComponentPro.Net
   Imports ComponentPro.Net.Mail
   

2. Create a new instance of the Imap class.
3. Now you can connect to the IMAP server with Connect methods. The code looks similar to the following:
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   C#

   VB.NET

   // IMAP server information. 
   const string serverName = "myserver";
   const string user = "name@domain.com";
   const string password = "mytestpassword";
   const int port = 993;
   const SslSecurityMode securityMode = SslSecurityMode.Implicit;
   
   // Create a new instance of the Imap class.
   Imap client = new Imap();
   
   // Connect to the server.
   client.Connect(serverName, port, securityMode);
   

   ' IMAP server information. 
   Const serverName As String = "myserver" 
   Const user As String = "name@domain.com" 
   Const password As String = "mytestpassword" 
   Const port As Integer = 993
   Const securityMode As SslSecurityMode = SslSecurityMode.Implicit
   
   ' Create a new instance of the Imap class. 
   Dim client As New Imap()
   
   ' Connect to the server.
   client.Connect(serverName, port, securityMode)
   

4. Use your user name and password to login with Authenticate methods.  The code looks similar to the following:
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   C#

   VB.NET

   // Login to the server.
   client.Authenticate(user, password);
   
   // Select 'INBOX' mailbox.
   client.Select("INBOX");
   

   ' Login to the server.
   client.Authenticate(user, password)
   
   ' Select 'INBOX' mailbox.
   client.Select("INBOX")
   

5. Now select a mailbox and pass appropriate parameters and search criteria to the ListMessages method. The code looks similar to the following:
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   C#

   VB.NET

   // Search for messages that have arrived since yesterday.
   ImapCriterion criteria = ImapCriterion.ArrivedBetween(DateTime.Now.AddDays(-1), DateTime.Now);
   
   // Search message that match the specified criteria. Only get message's unique Id and Size.
   ImapMessageCollection listMessages = client.ListMessages(ImapEnvelopeParts.UniqueId | ImapEnvelopeParts.Size, criteria);
   
   foreach (ImapMessage m in listMessages)
   {
       Console.WriteLine(string.Format("UniqueId: {0}, Size: {1}", m.UniqueId, m.Size));
   }
   

   ' Search for messages that have arrived since yesterday. 
   Dim criteria As ImapCriterion = ImapCriterion.ArrivedBetween(Date.Now.AddDays(-1), Date.Now)
   
   ' Search message that match the specified criteria. Only get message's unique Id and Size. 
   Dim listMessages As ImapMessageCollection = client.ListMessages(ImapEnvelopeParts.UniqueId Or ImapEnvelopeParts.Size, criteria)
   
   For Each m As ImapMessage In listMessages
       Console.WriteLine(String.Format("UniqueId: {0}, Size: {1}", m.UniqueId, m.Size))
   Next m
   

6. After completing your work, call the Disconnect method to close the IMAP session. 

Final example code

using System;
using ComponentPro.Net;
using ComponentPro.Net.Mail;

...

// IMAP server information. 
const string serverName = "myserver";
const string user = "name@domain.com";
const string password = "mytestpassword";
const int port = 993;
const SslSecurityMode securityMode = SslSecurityMode.Implicit;

// Create a new instance of the Imap class.
Imap client = new Imap();

// Connect to the server.
client.Connect(serverName, port, securityMode);

// Login to the server.
client.Authenticate(user, password);

// Select 'INBOX' mailbox.
client.Select("INBOX");

// Search for messages that have arrived since yesterday.
ImapCriterion criteria = ImapCriterion.ArrivedBetween(DateTime.Now.AddDays(-1), DateTime.Now);

// Search message that match the specified criteria. Only get message's unique Id and Size.
ImapMessageCollection listMessages = client.ListMessages(ImapEnvelopeParts.UniqueId | ImapEnvelopeParts.Size, criteria);

foreach (ImapMessage m in listMessages)
{
    Console.WriteLine(string.Format("UniqueId: {0}, Size: {1}", m.UniqueId, m.Size));
}

// Close the connection.
client.Disconnect();

Imports ComponentPro.Net
Imports ComponentPro.Net.Mail

...

' IMAP server information. 
Const serverName As String = "myserver" 
Const user As String = "name@domain.com" 
Const password As String = "mytestpassword" 
Const port As Integer = 993
Const securityMode As SslSecurityMode = SslSecurityMode.Implicit

' Create a new instance of the Imap class. 
Dim client As New Imap()

' Connect to the server.
client.Connect(serverName, port, securityMode)

' Login to the server.
client.Authenticate(user, password)

' Select 'INBOX' mailbox.
client.Select("INBOX")

' Search for messages that have arrived since yesterday. 
Dim criteria As ImapCriterion = ImapCriterion.ArrivedBetween(Date.Now.AddDays(-1), Date.Now)

' Search message that match the specified criteria. Only get message's unique Id and Size. 
Dim listMessages As ImapMessageCollection = client.ListMessages(ImapEnvelopeParts.UniqueId Or ImapEnvelopeParts.Size, criteria)

For Each m As ImapMessage In listMessages
    Console.WriteLine(String.Format("UniqueId: {0}, Size: {1}", m.UniqueId, m.Size))
Next m

' Close the connection.
client.Disconnect()