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IMAP and POP3: Which one to use? Print

  • email, pop3, download email, delete email, imap, email settings
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POP3 is designed to allow users to download all email off of the mail server to their mail client without leaving a copy on the server, or download all email, but leave a copy on the server.

IMAP is designed to allow users to access email from different devices by leaving all email on the server until read, when a copy is downloaded to the user and a copy is left on the server.

With both protocols, email is deleted from the server when the user deletes it in their mail client; some Apple mail clients don't handle that very well.

These links provide some additional info:
http://www.howtogeek.com/99423/email-whats-the-difference-in-pop3-imap-and-exchange/
https://www.howtogeek.com/395873/how-to-configure-mail-settings-for-iphone-and-ipad/
https://www.imore.com/how-to-manage-mail-settings-iphone-ipad

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