Switch Gmail from IMAP to POP

Question

Switch Gmail from IMAP to POP

Hi -

I recently upgraded to a new MacBook Pro and an iPhone X, and am having problems configuring the Apple Mail program as I want it. I believe the problem is that I cannot seem to convert my Google Account from IMAP to POP.

Previously, my iPhone 4 was configured to get new mail only when I manually asked for it (through "Fetch" settings). Then, when I opened up Apple Mail on my old MBP, the mail would migrate to the Mac, and disappear from the iPhone (which is exactly how I want it).

Since getting the new devices, mail downloaded to my iPhone X remains on the phone even after it downloads to the MBP and, worse, if I delete a message on my iPhone X, it also deletes from the Mac.

I noticed that on my old MBP, the account settings reads "Gmail POP", while on the new MBP it reads "Google IMAP", and I believe this is the cause of my current mail problems. I have tried to change the settings on my Google account, but it either doesn't accept the changes, or I'm doing it incorrectly. I tried to attach a screenshot of the Google settings and Mail Preferences, but unfortunately, it failed to attach.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS High Sierra (10.13)

Posted on Dec 4, 2017 10:39 AM

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Answer 1

KiltedTim

Level 10

203,116 points

Dec 4, 2017 10:48 AM in response to Shelly Friedman1

I understand what you're trying to accomplish, but it's really not a good idea.

POP3 is pretty much obsolete. It was never designed to be used with multiple mail clients accessing the same account. Sooner or later you will run into a problem.

IMAP is designed to synchronize all mail clients with a central store (the server) so as to present the same information everywhere.

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Answer 2

Dec 4, 2017 10:54 AM in response to KiltedTim

Kilted Tim -

Thanks for your reply. I get your point, and I'm willing to change my approach to mail, but how do I delete messages from my iPhone but still retain them on my MacBook Pro? Thanks again for your help.

Shelly

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Answer 3

KiltedTim

Level 10

203,116 points

Dec 4, 2017 10:58 AM in response to Shelly Friedman1

You don't. That's the point of IMAP. If you don't want messages cluttering your inbox, you can create 'folders' on the server and file messages away so that you can reference them when you need them.

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Answer 4

Dec 4, 2017 11:58 AM in response to KiltedTim

Kilted Tim -

OK, I see what you're saying, and I'll try it for a week or so and see how it goes (I created a mailbox called "Pending", and put all the messages I want to keep temporarily).

I have to say, however, that it still seems like a very cumbersome work-around to create the same thing my Gmail POP account was doing seamlessly. I appreciate your help. Thanks,

Shelly

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Answer 5

Dec 4, 2017 12:06 PM in response to Shelly Friedman1

What is cumbersome is what you want to do, that is have email work like IMAP and POP at the same time. POP and IMAP do not provide the same functionality. This is the way email has always worked. I don't know if it is still the case but on the gmail site you could select to use gmail IMAP or gmail POP. What is your setting on your gmail account not the setting in your email client?

If you want to use POP then setup your email account on the gmail site as POP. But as already pointed out, POP is an older protocol not used often if users have multiple devices. Why don't you think IMAP will work for you?

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Answer 6

Dec 4, 2017 12:28 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

It's not that I don't think it will work, it's just that it requires extra steps to accomplish what I want. I want email to reside on the MacBook Pro until I physically delete it (or move it to a saved mailbox), and I want emails that are downloaded to the iPhone to disappear automatically after they migrate to the MBP. That happened automatically with POP, and it happens now with IMAP, but only with the creation of an additional mailbox. If POP is old tech and not as reliable, I'll accept that and move on... but it's not as seamless.

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