HT201320: Set up an email account on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Learn about Set up an email account on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
Ingrid Amaya

Q: POP or IMAP?

I read the article on adding an email account to your new iPad, but I still do not know the difference between an Account type (POP or IMAP): which one should I choose and why?

 

thanks..

iPad, iOS 7.1, mini

Posted on Mar 25, 2014 10:35 AM

Close

Q: POP or IMAP?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Kilgore-Trout,

    Kilgore-Trout Kilgore-Trout Mar 25, 2014 10:42 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya
    Level 7 (32,633 points)
    iPad
    Mar 25, 2014 10:42 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya

    You do not determine the type of acount when you add it to the mail app. The is a setting on the mail server and is determined by what your prover offers, and whcih you selected when you signed up with it. In some cases you can choose to use POP or IMAP, but that isn't something than can be set from the mail app on your iPad. Most of the time, when adding the account tot he iPad, it doesn't matter. It will be picked up automatically.

     

    As far as setting up a new email service, I strongly recommend IAMP, especially if you intend to check and mnange mail from more than one device, or if you wish to be able to add additional folders (mailboxes) once you have it set up. POP will not work well for either scenario.

  • by Ingrid Amaya,

    Ingrid Amaya Ingrid Amaya Mar 25, 2014 10:49 AM in response to Kilgore-Trout
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 25, 2014 10:49 AM in response to Kilgore-Trout

    Thanks for your response, I am trying to add my gmail to my new ipad as I type this... it is giving me the option to click on IMAP or POP and based on your recommendation I have clicked on IMAP.  However, it is also asking for incoming mail server and outgoing mail server... I have no clue on what to enter?  Is it gmail? or my email address?

     

    can you help?

  • by Phil0124,Helpful

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Mar 25, 2014 10:55 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya
    Level 7 (27,431 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 25, 2014 10:55 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya

    If you are adding Gmail. you should choose the Google / Gmail preset to get the appropriate settings for Gmail rather than using the "Other" option.

     

    The Google option will fill in all those values.

     

    emailipad.png

  • by Kilgore-Trout,Helpful

    Kilgore-Trout Kilgore-Trout Mar 25, 2014 10:58 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya
    Level 7 (32,633 points)
    iPad
    Mar 25, 2014 10:58 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya

    If you selected Google as the account type in the first step, you shouldn't have to manually set those.

  • by Ingrid Amaya,

    Ingrid Amaya Ingrid Amaya Mar 25, 2014 10:59 AM in response to Phil0124
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 25, 2014 10:59 AM in response to Phil0124

    Thanks, I am using the other option for adding my gmail, however it is asking for the host name of the incoming mail server and outgoing mail server...

     

    can anyone shed some light to this question?

  • by Ingrid Amaya,Solvedanswer

    Ingrid Amaya Ingrid Amaya Mar 25, 2014 11:07 AM in response to Kilgore-Trout
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 25, 2014 11:07 AM in response to Kilgore-Trout

    Happy to report that it worked... I have successfully added all my email accounts.

     

    Thank you!

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Mar 25, 2014 11:10 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya
    Level 7 (27,431 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 25, 2014 11:10 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya

    I know you are using the other option. What I'm saying is you should use the Google option instead. It will configure all that for you.  Why are you trying to do this manually?

     

    Even Google's own help site suggests you use the Google Option.

     

    In any case for server settings you can use Google's Help page.

     

    https://support.google.com/mail/troubleshooter/1668960?hl=en

     

    Tap on "I want to Enable IMAP'   then on Apple Mail (since you don't want to use the Google option as described for iPads), and then on "O.K. Confirm my Settings"  And use those server settings for incoming and outgoing. servers.

  • by Kilgore-Trout,

    Kilgore-Trout Kilgore-Trout Mar 25, 2014 11:50 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya
    Level 7 (32,633 points)
    iPad
    Mar 25, 2014 11:50 AM in response to Ingrid Amaya

    You're welcome. Glad you got it sorted out.