IMAP versus POP

If you would like to use Email.icu with custom email software (Mac Mail or Microsoft Outlook) you need to specify whether you would like to receive emails by using POP connection (Post Office Protocol) or IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol).

Internet Message Access Protocol is the most commonly used method offering you full access to all emails and email folders from any device, mobile to desktop.

This article explains the differences between Internet Message Access Protocol and Post Office Protocol mail protocols. To change your settings head to Email.icu and look under Hosted Exchange.

Note Well:

• – Microsoft Exchange users usually access their mailbox data through an Exchange server instead of an IMAP or POP connection. 
• – We recommend you use a Internet Message Access Protocol connection with Email.icu.

When checking your emails using a Internet Message Access Protocol connection, you are directly accessing and managing your email from the email server. Here are some features of Internet Message Access Protocol: 

• – Internet connection: To access your email, you need to have an Internet connection. 
• – Backup: Every evening, your emails are automatically backed up. If you accidentally delete one of your emails, your administrator will retrieve it; Backups are kept for two weeks. 
• – Storage: If you have limited online storage space, deleting some emails from time to time will avoid exceeding the storage capacity. 
• – New Items: Internet Message Access Protocol uses “fetch” technology. Meaning when emails are sent your email client needs to fetch new messages at determined time intervals. 
• – Access: Since emails will be stored on the email server, you’ll be able to access as well as manage your email folders and email from multiple mobile devices and computers.

Note: Email clients store all your sent, trash and draft emails on your computer by default, instead of storing them on the email server (the way it is supposed to with an IMAP connection). You’ll have to map all the email folders within the email client.

When you are checking your email using the feature “Mobile Sync”, you’re directly accessing as well as managing your email from the email server via ActiveSync, a mobile data synchronisation application developed by Microsoft. Here are some Mobile Sync features: 

Note: This service is enabled only by your email administrator at an additional fee. 

• – Internet Connection: To access your email, you need to have an Internet connection. 
• – Backup: Every evening, all emails are automatically backed up. If you delete an email by accident, your email administrator will retrieve it; this is possible even up to two weeks later. 
• – Storage: If you have limited online storage space, deleting emails regularly helps to avoid exceeding the storage capacity. 
• – New Items: This service uses “push” technology. When emails arrive, they will be immediately pushed to your device.
• – Access: You can access your email folders and emails from mobile devices to desktop computers. This is possible as emails are stored on the email server.

When you are checking your email with Post Office Protocol connection, new email messages will be downloaded to your computer, then they will be deleted completely from the email server. Here are some features of Post Office Protocol: 

Internet connection: To download your emails you require an internet connection. You can view your downloaded emails offline without an internet connection

• – Backup: You should make sure that you have implemented a backup system for your personal computer that is effective, in case you must retrieve deleted or lost emails. 
• – Storage: You do not have to worry about your online storage space running out. Emails will be downloaded to your computer so ensuring you have enough storage space is critical.
• – New Items: Post Office Protocol uses “fetch” technology. This means when new emails arrive your email client will fetch new messages at determined time intervals. 
• – Access: As emails are stored on your computer and not the email server you need to be at your computer to access emails.