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Understanding POP3 and IMAP

By Shivam | Last Updated: 25 May 2025

Overview

Zoho Mail offers multiple ways to access your email accounts from different service providers within the Zoho mailbox. Email protocols like IMAP and POP are application layer protocols, providing the ability to fetch emails from one server to another. They work by establishing a TCP link. Understanding and knowing the difference between IMAP and POP will help you in choosing the right protocol to facilitate your requirements.

POP3 vs IMAP

IMAP and POP cater to the needs of people with different requirements. If you are someone who only accesses email at a single device and doesn't have continued active internet access, POP may be the protocol to go with. But if you use multiple mailboxes and can't worry about keeping track of emails at a single device, IMAP may be the one.

Frequently Asked Questions

POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) downloads emails from the server to your device and usually deletes them from the server afterward.

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) syncs your emails across multiple devices by keeping messages stored on the server. IMAP is best for users who check email from various devices, while POP3 is better for single-device use.

IMAP is generally better for email management because it keeps your inbox synchronized in real time across all your devices. Emails remain on the server, letting you access and organize them from anywhere. POP3 works well if you have limited internet or want to keep emails stored locally on just one device.

While technically possible, using both POP3 and IMAP on the same account is not recommended. It can cause sync problems like missing or duplicate emails. Choose one protocol based on your needs:
- Use IMAP for multi-device email access and syncing.
- Use POP3 for offline storage on a single device.

By default, POP3 downloads emails and then deletes them from the server. This means emails are no longer available online after being fetched. To avoid this, check your email client's settings and enable “Leave a copy of messages on the server.”

To switch safely:
1. Backup your emails from the POP3 account.
2. Set up the same email account using IMAP in your client.
3. Manually move or copy emails from the POP3 inbox to the IMAP inbox.
4. Once confirmed, remove the POP3 setup.

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