Using Apple mail on iPad with Microsoft desktop Outlook

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Level 1

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Using Apple mail on iPad with Microsoft desktop Outlook

My mother uses the Microsoft desktop version of Outlook to manage her email messages. She has a mail address provided to her by her ISP, which is Suddenlink. She recently received an iPad as a gift and uses the Apple mail function on her iPad to manager the same email account on her iPad.

I've discovered a problem in that the email accounts do not "mirror" each other as they should. To be more specific email content deleted on the MS desktop version of Outlook remains in the mail folder on the iPad. The reverse is also true in that email content deleted in the mail folder on the iPad remains in the email inbox on the MS desktop version of Outlook.

Any help or suggestions in resolving this issue would be greatly appreciated!

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi

Posted on Jul 14, 2019 6:56 AM

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Answer 1

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Michael Black

Level 10

80,298 points

Jul 14, 2019 7:08 AM in response to Jab682

Is her email account setup as POP or IMAP? The behavior you describe would be expected for a POP account. If she wishes the two accounts to mirror each other, then it needs to be setup as an IMAP account (if SuddenLink supports IMAP that is).

P.S. and sorry to say it looks like suddenlink is POP mail only (https://help.suddenlink.com/ios.html) so then she will have to live with it as it is, or just use the web version on all devices. Or switch to a different free service that offers IMAP, such as Google’s Gmail.

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Answer 2

Jab682 Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 14, 2019 7:32 AM in response to Michael Black

Michael,

Thank you for your comments and your assistance. I understand your point regarding the limitations of a POP account. In light of these limitations she may have to consider an IMAP ISP.

As an alternative are you aware of any iOS app that would act as a "bridge" for POP accounts that would allow each account to mirror one another?

Thanks again for your insight.

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Answer 3

Jul 14, 2019 7:50 AM in response to Jab682

Sorry, I don’t know of any mechanism to sync a POP account across devices with any operating system.

Another solution to get IMAP would for her to sign up for the least expensive domain hosting service (GoDaddy or IONOS or some such) and register her own email address (most cheap hosting services include at least one domain) to use for the included IMAP service every personal hosting service provides. That gives her an IMAP email that is independent of whomever she gets her home internet service with.

I use Ionis (used to be 1and1) for my personal email which is just one of my own registered domains and has not changed in over a decade and a half now, despite changing ISPs several times.

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Using Apple mail on iPad with Microsoft desktop Outlook

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