Re[2]: Dovecot 2.4 and E-Mail Address as Login Setting

18 Oct 2026

      Hi Daniel
The %n is invalid in Dovecot 2.4 please see my previous email which had
the correct syntax
Horst
------ Original Message ------
From "Daniel Reinhardt via dovecot" <dovecot@dovecot.org>
To mlist@jarasoft.net
Cc dovecot@dovecot.org
Date 18/10/2026 14:09:14
Subject Re: Dovecot 2.4 and E-Mail Address as Login Setting
...
Jack,
Here is my confifg pur dovecot -n and the %n does not work when enabled as it thows No Authentication Error:
2.4.2 (0962ed2104): /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf
Pigeonhole version 2.4.2 (767418c3)
OS: Linux 7.0.0-38-generic x86_64 Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS
Hostname: capricorn
9 default setting changes since version 2.4.0
dovecot_config_version = 2.4.0
auth_mechanisms = plain login
auth_username_format = %n
dovecot_storage_version = 2.4.0
first_valid_uid = 1000
fts_autoindex = yes
fts_autoindex_max_recent_msgs = 999
fts_search_add_missing = yes
last_valid_uid = 65535
listen = * ::
mail_driver = mbox
mail_home = /home/%{user | username}
mail_inbox_path = /var/mail/%{user}
mail_path = %{home}/mail
mail_privileged_group = mail
protocols {
imap = yes
pop3 = yes
}
passdb pam {
}
userdb passwd {
}
userdb passwd-file {
auth_username_format = %{user|lower}
passwd_file_path = /etc/passwd
driver = passwd-file
fields {
home = /var/vmail/%{user}
name = %{user|lower}
user = %{user|lower}
}
skip = found
}
namespace inbox {
inbox = yes
mailbox Drafts {
special_use = "\\Drafts"
}
mailbox Junk {
special_use = "\\Junk"
}
mailbox Trash {
special_use = "\\Trash"
}
mailbox Sent {
special_use = "\\Sent"
}
mailbox "Sent Messages" {
special_use = "\\Sent"
}
}
service imap-login {
inet_listener imap {
port = 143
}
inet_listener imaps {
port = 993
ssl = yes
}
}
service pop3-login {
inet_listener pop3 {
port = 110
}
inet_listener pop3s {
port = 995
ssl = yes
}
}
service submission-login {
inet_listener submission {
port = 587
}
inet_listener submissions {
port = 465
}
}
service lmtp {
unix_listener lmtp {
}
}
service imap {
}
service pop3 {
}
service submission {
}
service auth {
unix_listener auth-userdb {
}
unix_listener /var/spool/postfix/private/auth {
group = postfix
mode = 0666
user = postfix
}
}
service auth-worker {
}
service dict {
unix_listener dict {
}
}
ssl_server {
cert_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/imap.cryptodan.net/cert.pem
key_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/imap.cryptodan.net/privkey.pem
}
Very Respectfully,
Daniel Reinhardt
Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
On Saturday, October 17th, 2026 at 11:11 PM, Jack Raats via dovecot <dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:
...
Just use
auth_username_format = %n
in your config
Gr.,
Jack
Op 17-10-2026 om 23:32 schreef Daniel Reinhardt via dovecot:
...
Horst,
I am using the /etc/passwd file for usernames so its not a fancy setup using anything like SQL.
Very Respectfully,
Daniel Reinhardt
Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
On Saturday, October 17th, 2026 at 9:29 PM, Horst B Simon<horst.simon2@icloud.com> wrote:
...
It depends where you keep your users. I am using on one server sqlite for the usernames and on another mariadb  and the username query is in the “<path>/dovecot/conf.d/auth-sql.conf.ext“ and the users are created using postfixadmin.
Horst
...
On 18 Oct 2026, at 08:09, Daniel Reinhardt via dovecot<dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:
   All,
I am running Dovecot 2.4 on a single server, and I am wondering where I
can set it to use the full email address as the login name.
I am running Ubuntu 26.04 and its fully updated.  I own the server, and
the domain.  Let me know what information you need to assist me.
Very Respectfully,
Daniel Reinhardt
Sent with [1]Proton Mail secure email.
References
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To unsubscribe send an email todovecot-leave@dovecot.org   Just use
auth_username_format = %n

in your config

Gr.,

Jack

Op 17-10-2026 om 23:32 schreef Daniel Reinhardt via dovecot:
Horst,
I am using the /etc/passwd file for usernames so its not a fancy setup using anything like SQL.
Very Respectfully,
Daniel Reinhardt
Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
On Saturday, October 17th, 2026 at 9:29 PM, Horst B Simon [1]<horst.simon2@icloud.com> wrote:
It depends where you keep your users. I am using on one server sqlite for the usernames and on another mariadb  and the username query is in the "<path>/dovecot/conf.d/auth-sql.conf.ext" and the users are created using postfixadmin.
Horst
On 18 Oct 2026, at 08:09, Daniel Reinhardt via dovecot [2]<dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:
 All,
I am running Dovecot 2.4 on a single server, and I am wondering where I
can set it to use the full email address as the login name.
I am running Ubuntu 26.04 and its fully updated.  I own the server, and
the domain.  Let me know what information you need to assist me.
Very Respectfully,
Daniel Reinhardt
Sent with [1]Proton Mail secure email.
References
Visible links
1. [3]https://proton.me/mail/home
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Hi Daniel
The %n is invalid in Dovecot 2.4 please see my previous email which had
the correct syntax
Horst
------ Original Message ------
From "Daniel Reinhardt via dovecot" <[1]dovecot@dovecot.org>
To [2]mlist@jarasoft.net
Cc [3]dovecot@dovecot.org
Date 18/10/2026 14:09:14
Subject Re: Dovecot 2.4 and E-Mail Address as Login Setting
 Jack,

 Here is my confifg pur dovecot -n and the %n does not work when enabled
 as it thows No Authentication Error:

 # 2.4.2 (0962ed2104): /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf
 # Pigeonhole version 2.4.2 (767418c3)
 # OS: Linux 7.0.0-38-generic x86_64 Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS
 # Hostname: capricorn
 # 9 default setting changes since version 2.4.0
 dovecot_config_version = 2.4.0
 auth_mechanisms = plain login
 auth_username_format = %n
 dovecot_storage_version = 2.4.0
 first_valid_uid = 1000
 fts_autoindex = yes
 fts_autoindex_max_recent_msgs = 999
 fts_search_add_missing = yes
 last_valid_uid = 65535
 listen = * ::
 mail_driver = mbox
 mail_home = /home/%{user | username}
 mail_inbox_path = /var/mail/%{user}
 mail_path = %{home}/mail
 mail_privileged_group = mail
 protocols {
 imap = yes
 pop3 = yes
 }
 passdb pam {
 }
 userdb passwd {
 }
 userdb passwd-file {
 auth_username_format = %{user|lower}
 passwd_file_path = /etc/passwd
 driver = passwd-file
 fields {
 home = /var/vmail/%{user}
 name = %{user|lower}
 user = %{user|lower}
 }
 skip = found
 }
 namespace inbox {
 inbox = yes
 mailbox Drafts {
 special_use = "\\Drafts"
 }
 mailbox Junk {
 special_use = "\\Junk"
 }
 mailbox Trash {
 special_use = "\\Trash"
 }
 mailbox Sent {
 special_use = "\\Sent"
 }
 mailbox "Sent Messages" {
 special_use = "\\Sent"
 }
 }
 service imap-login {
 inet_listener imap {
 port = 143
 }
 inet_listener imaps {
 port = 993
 ssl = yes
 }
 }
 service pop3-login {
 inet_listener pop3 {
 port = 110
 }
 inet_listener pop3s {
 port = 995
 ssl = yes
 }
 }
 service submission-login {
 inet_listener submission {
 port = 587
 }
 inet_listener submissions {
 port = 465
 }
 }
 service lmtp {
 unix_listener lmtp {
 }
 }
 service imap {
 }
 service pop3 {
 }
 service submission {
 }
 service auth {
 unix_listener auth-userdb {
 }
 unix_listener /var/spool/postfix/private/auth {
 group = postfix
 mode = 0666
 user = postfix
 }
 }
 service auth-worker {
 }
 service dict {
 unix_listener dict {
 }
 }
 ssl_server {
 cert_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/imap.cryptodan.net/cert.pem
 key_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/imap.cryptodan.net/privkey.pem
 }

 Very Respectfully,
 Daniel Reinhardt

 Sent with Proton Mail secure email.

 On Saturday, October 17th, 2026 at 11:11 PM, Jack Raats via dovecot
 &lt;[4]dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:

   Just use

   auth_username_format = %n

   in your config

   Gr.,

   Jack

   Op 17-10-2026 om 23:32 schreef Daniel Reinhardt via dovecot:
   > Horst,
   >
   > I am using the /etc/passwd file for usernames so its not a fancy
   setup using anything like SQL.
   >
   > Very Respectfully,
   > Daniel Reinhardt
   >
   >
   >
   >
   > Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
   >
   > On Saturday, October 17th, 2026 at 9:29 PM, Horst B
   Simon&lt;[5]horst.simon2@icloud.com> wrote:
   >
   >> It depends where you keep your users. I am using on one server
   sqlite for the usernames and on another mariadb and the username query
   is in the "&lt;path>/dovecot/conf.d/auth-sql.conf.ext" and the users are
   created using postfixadmin.
   >>
   >> Horst
   >>
   >>
   >>> On 18 Oct 2026, at 08:09, Daniel Reinhardt via
   dovecot&lt;[6]dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:
   >>>
   >>>  All,
   >>> I am running Dovecot 2.4 on a single server, and I am wondering
   where I
   >>> can set it to use the full email address as the login name.
   >>> I am running Ubuntu 26.04 and its fully updated. I own the server,
   and
   >>> the domain. Let me know what information you need to assist me.
   >>> Very Respectfully,
   >>> Daniel Reinhardt
   >>> Sent with [1]Proton Mail secure email.
   >>>
   >>> References
   >>>
   >>> Visible links
   >>> 1.[7]https://proton.me/mail/home
   >>> _______________________________________________
   >>> dovecot mailing list [8]--dovecot@dovecot.org
   >>> To unsubscribe send an email [9]todovecot-leave@dovecot.org
   > _______________________________________________
   > dovecot mailing list [10]--dovecot@dovecot.org
   > To unsubscribe send an email [11]todovecot-leave@dovecot.org Just
   use

   auth_username_format = %n

   in your config

   Gr.,

   Jack

   Op 17-10-2026 om 23:32 schreef Daniel Reinhardt via dovecot:

   Horst,

   I am using the /etc/passwd file for usernames so its not a fancy setup
   using anything like SQL.

   Very Respectfully,
   Daniel Reinhardt

   Sent with Proton Mail secure email.

   On Saturday, October 17th, 2026 at 9:29 PM, Horst B Simon
   [1]&lt;[12]horst.simon2@icloud.com> wrote:

   It depends where you keep your users. I am using on one server sqlite
   for the usernames and on another mariadb and the username query is in
   the "&lt;path>/dovecot/conf.d/auth-sql.conf.ext" and the users are
   created using postfixadmin.

   Horst

   On 18 Oct 2026, at 08:09, Daniel Reinhardt via dovecot
   [2]&lt;[13]dovecot@dovecot.org> wrote:

   All,
   I am running Dovecot 2.4 on a single server, and I am wondering where
   I
   can set it to use the full email address as the login name.
   I am running Ubuntu 26.04 and its fully updated. I own the server, and
   the domain. Let me know what information you need to assist me.
   Very Respectfully,
   Daniel Reinhardt
   Sent with [1]Proton Mail secure email.

   References

   Visible links
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   _______________________________________________
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   To unsubscribe send an email to [5][16]dovecot-leave@dovecot.org

   _______________________________________________
   dovecot mailing list -- [6][17]dovecot@dovecot.org
   To unsubscribe send an email to [7][18]dovecot-leave@dovecot.org

   References

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   To unsubscribe send an email to [27]dovecot-leave@dovecot.org

 _______________________________________________
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