Both Pop AND IMAP Gmail accounts in Mail?

Question

Level 1

120 points

Both Pop AND IMAP Gmail accounts in Mail?

OK this is bugging me. Suddenly I noticed several email duplicates from my only Gmail account, that I check on my Mac in Mail. When checking accounts in Preferences, I see now TWO Gmail accounts enabled, one POP, another IMAP. I can't remember which one is the older one that I've been using for years. I guess it's the IMAP account, since I've been keeping copies of my emails in my Mac and my Gmail "all mail" folder online.

I think it happened when Safari 5.1 asked to syncronize and/or use "x" automatically with iChat, Mail, Calendar, etc., and added the POP. My question is, which one of those accounts is safe to delete or disable in Mail? Can it be done just like that? In the Gmail settings I see both POP and IMAP are enabled. Should I just disable POP and voilá?

Thanks.

rolando

MacBook Pro 13, Mac OS X (10.7), iPhone 4, Aperture 3.1.3

Posted on Aug 9, 2011 8:55 AM

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Answer 1

Meherally

Level 4

1,129 points

Aug 9, 2011 9:02 AM in response to rolandomerida

You should enable either POP or IMAP in the Gmail settings. Perhaps this is why the duplicates. I would suggest make IMAP the choice of protocol. This way all your mails are still on the Gmail and you can also work with mails on other mobile devices, all being IMAP.

Google "IMAP vs POP" and you will get plenty of resources to make your choice.

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Answer 2

rolandomerida Author

Level 1

120 points

Aug 9, 2011 9:12 AM in response to Meherally

Thank you so much. Yes, I've been reading all I can about POP and IMAP these past minutes 😉

When disabling POP in the Gmail settings, I guess if Mail in my Mac would notice that, or should I manually delete the POP account?

rolando

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Answer 3

Meherally

Level 4

1,129 points

Aug 9, 2011 9:17 AM in response to rolandomerida

As you may have learnt by now POP downloads the mail to your computer and depending on your settings may also delete from server. So the mail on your computer is the only copy you have. IMAP accounts can be deleted and added later but POP are not that simple.

I suggest turn off POP, use IMAP, continue using IMAP for a while and then delete POP.

There are excellent guides in the discussions here, just search for 'switching from POP to IMAP'

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Answer 4

rolandomerida Author

Level 1

120 points

Aug 9, 2011 9:34 AM in response to Meherally

Done. I'll read more about the matter, since I wouldn't want to lose my offline messages in my Mac. All of those are filed under the POP account. But also I have a copy online, since I had checked the option "archive a copy in Gmail" from long ago. So I'd still like to find out if I could retrieve my emails to the IMAP account after I decide to delete POP.

Thanks for the useful info 🙂

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Answer 5

Meherally

Level 4

1,129 points

Aug 9, 2011 9:38 AM in response to rolandomerida

Yes once you make the gmail settings only to IMAP, then suggest delete both IMAP and POP from your computer and set up IMAP account, once done it will sync with your gmail account and get all the mails in your Mail app on the mac.

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Answer 6

rolandomerida Author

Level 1

120 points

Aug 9, 2011 10:03 AM in response to Meherally

For now, I've disabled the POP account both online and in Mail Preferences/Accounts, and I'm happy to note my archived emails are still on my Mac, under the Gmail/All Mail folder. That'll do for now.

Thanks again!

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