How to change iPad email from imap to pop

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How to change iPad email from imap to pop

I do not like the way IMAP handles mail on the server, and want to change my iPad to use POP for my Comcast mail account.

How do I do this? I keep trying to create an account with the same settings I have on my iPhone which uses POP, but the iPad keep using the IMAP server and port. If I change them, it won't verify the account.

I use my laptop to manage email, and my iPhone and iPad to read messages when traveling only. Because of IMAP design, when I delete messages on the iPad they are deleted from the server and aren't seen on my computer when I start mail. This is totally unacceptable functionality, as I recently missed important emails and can't use my iPad for a lightweight alternative to carrying the laptop.

Please help!

iPad (6th gen) WiFi

Posted on Sep 12, 2021 6:06 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 12, 2021 6:20 AM in response to Chuckynt

IMAP doesn’t delete messages, and doesn’t automatically download messages to the client.

POP does automatically download messages to the client, which makes those messages inaccessible from other clients.

If your laptop has local rules configured that process and relocate messages into client-local folders, that’s the issue here.

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Answer 2

Chuckynt Author

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Sep 12, 2021 6:55 AM in response to MrHoffman

IMAP deletes the messages from the server when they are deleted on the iPad. I did several experiments this morning and proved it. I have direct access to the server and the messages went to the trash folder when deleted on the iPad only.

POP does not make messages inaccessible to other devices, I use that on both the iPhone and laptop and get the messages downloaded on both devices. I have many rules in Outlook to file and delete messages. I have used this configuration for years and I has behaved correctly until yesterday.

The iPad is he odd duck in configuration and I want to configure POP on it, but I can’t find a way to do that.

The only other possibility is the timing of when I check email on the laptop and iPad, then cleanup the iPad, but I’d like to not have to worry about that.

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Answer 3

Sep 12, 2021 7:15 AM in response to Chuckynt

If you request IMAP delete the message in the server, or relocate the message from the server to a client, yes, the message becomes unavailable to other clients accessing that same email account.

POP does operate the same way as IMAP there, and POP further defaults to making the message unavailable on the server upon first reading of the message as the message gets downloaded.

If you have rules active in your mail client, that is very likely where the issue lurks.

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Answer 4

Chuckynt Author

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14 points

Sep 12, 2021 7:49 AM in response to MrHoffman

Again, this works as I described and according to descriptions of the IMAP and POP functionality available online, as well as 2 hours of trials and tests this morning.

I really don’t want to get into a discussion about how different mail protocols function.

My question still is, how do I configure POP email on my IPad gen 6, software version 14.7.1?

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Answer 5

Chuckynt Author

Level 1

14 points

Sep 12, 2021 1:40 PM in response to MrHoffman

Thanks. I had found both of these.

Unfortunately, the example in the forcing a POP connection is on an iPhone.

On my iPad when setting up a new account the screen to enter name, etc doesn’t have the buttons to pick IMAP or POP shown in the procedure. I can enter the POP server information, but the iPad ignores it and sets up a IMAP connection.

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Answer 6

Sep 12, 2021 8:15 AM in response to Chuckynt

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/what-are-imap-and-pop-ca2c5799-49f9-4079-aefe-ddca85d5b1c9

Forcing creation of a POP or IMAP email a… - Apple Community

(Unfollowing thread)

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How to change iPad email from imap to pop

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