Q: Is there a way to NOT delete emails everywhere using IMAP?  Emails come to all devices, iPhone 6, iPad, and Outlook (2010).  If I delete in my iPhone it deletes everywhere else also which I don't want it to do.

That is how IMAP works. It syncs all devices together. The mail content is located on the server, not really on the local device like POP mail is. If you do not want to see mail in the inbox, you can create a folder you can move the mail into. You will still be able to view this mail on all devices in that folder.

The iOS mail app does not have localized folders (and frankly I don't know of any third party apps that do either).

kzpack wrote:

 

I tried this and it still deleted it everywhere.

Tried what exactly, what what expectation and what out come?

Outlook on Mac and windows, when not used with an exchange mail system, typically allows for creating local folders (or at least used to). Once you move a message into a local folder, you can delete it from the server. It will then only appear on the desktop computer. You do have to make sure what you are creating and using is a local (on this machine) folder.

However, unless you have sizable attachments - and choose to download then - email messages will not use substantial storage space on an iOS device.

kzpack wrote:

 

I tried this and it still deleted it everywhere.

 

This makes no sense to me why they would set it up like that.  I can't believe that people don't want to save e-mails on one device and keep them on another device.  Have to wonder who came up with this not so great idea!

 

Actually IMAP (and exchange, for that matter) is specifically and intentionally design to do just the opposite. The vast majority of user want their mail inboxes to be consistent across all access devices. You are very much in the minority.

What do you mean do what I am saying? You have the option to create folders on your device in IMAP. You can move a mail from the inbox to another folder, however you cannot delete mail, or it will delete on all devices. The only option you have is to find a provider that uses POP technology, and realistically, you probably won't find one, since that is antiquated technology that everyone is moving from. POP mail is designed to only be used on a single client. Viewing it on multiple clients is difficult, since you have to configure it to not delete mail from the server if you want to pick it up by another client, and then trying to determine which client you want to be the last one so you delete it off the server then. POP mail is saved locally, so you can delete on one client and not disturb the others. But as indicated earlier, and supported by what Kilgore-Trout said, IMAP is designed to keep everything in sync, which is what most people want.

kzpack wrote:

 

This makes no sense to me why they would set it up like that.  I can't believe that people don't want to save e-mails on one device and keep them on another device.  Have to wonder who came up with this not so great idea!

It may not make sense to you but not everyone has the same needs. I would lose what's left of my mind without IMAP. If I want to keep emails, I keep them. They stay on my provider's servers so that I can access them from any of the half dozen or so devices I check email from. If I don't want the email, I don't want it on any device. I delete it. Makes perfect sense to me.

Best of luck.

kzpack wrote:

 

I agree Meg St._Clair that it might be what other people want, but you should at least have a choice.  The more people I talk to about this the more say they would like what I am asking about so I might not be such minority as one might think.

You do have a choice IMAP (synchronous) or POP3 (asynchronous)

You chose the one you didn't want.

I've never before encountered an ISP that REQUIRES the use of IMAP. Many (but not all) offer IMAP, but they also offer POP as an alternative. Mine (Optimum) ONLY offers POP, and doesn't even support secure POP, so I don't use my "free" account as it is worth less than what I pay for it. You should be able to have a POP client on an IMAP account. I don't specifically know how to do this with TWC, but you might check out their support site, and call them if you can't find it. Of course, TWC has been called the worst company in the world, so they may not be much help.

kzpack wrote:

 

I agree Meg St._Clair that it might be what other people want, but you should at least have a choice.  The more people I talk to about this the more say they would like what I am asking about so I might not be such minority as one might think.

There is a choice. What you're looking for is POP. It does exactly what you want. You'll need to find a provider that offers it. It appears to be an option with Gmail though not one I've ever used. Last I checked, AOL still uses POP.

Lawrence Finch wrote:

 

I've never before encountered an ISP that REQUIRES the use of IMAP. Many (but not all) offer IMAP, but they also offer POP as an alternative.

Useful to know.

That's because POP3 was never designed with multiple simultaneous clients in mind. It's an antiquated, virtually obsolete protocol. The only reason the providers haven't turned off POP3 support is because there is no financial incentive to do so for them yet. It's free... it's there... why bother.

If you're having trouble setting it up on a client, turn off the email accounts on all other clients connecting to that server, then try again. Then prepare for the nightmare of managing email on multiple devices, accidental data loss when the server doesn't obey the 'leave on server' request, etc.

I found this thread because I was looking for the same option. You aren't alone. There's no reason that an emil system couldn't be made to do what we're asking.

The issue is we want to be able to archive all those old emails on our home computers but simply don't have the space for that on our phones, and the problem with a pop account is you have to throw out all your trash worthy email multiple times. And I'll have to throw them out a third time when I eventually get an iPad.

Simply moving them to another folder on my phone doesn't solve the storage space issue.

We need a third kind of system that has the best of both worlds, and there's no reason It couldn't be made.