Apple mail pop Imap question

I just noticed on my desktop Apple mail I have two types of mail for one of my accounts. IMAP and POP do I keep both or delete one and if so which one?

Posted on May 17, 2023 6:10 AM

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3 replies

May 17, 2023 8:33 AM in response to dagwaremedia

Apple has been getting people to leave POP behind for years.

I have resisted for all but one of the accounts that I use.


I think the logical way forward is to keep the IMAP and drop the POP.

Any folders that are under On My Mac will not be affected, and any folders that are under your IMAP account will remain as they are. Hence you are not going to lose anything - but do make sure to have an up to date Time Machine backup.

May 17, 2023 10:43 AM in response to dagwaremedia

Just in case you are not aware, there is a distinctive difference between these two type of mail accounts.


The first email client that accesses the older POP3 account will have all of the messages downloaded to that client. If you try accessing that account immediately afterwards with another device, those messages will appear to be "gone." ... because they are. At least, on the email server.


The later IMAP accounts work differently. Messages are stored on the email provider's servers. You can access them from any number of clients, and unless you delete them from any one client, they will still be there for all the others.


... so, it comes down to, which method do you prefer. Although, as the others have mentioned, POP3 accounts are being phased out.

Apple mail pop Imap question

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