What is the difference between pop3 and imap and how does imap work?

Question

I have a pop3 account working through outlook. A friend told me to use imap as it works better. What are the main pro's & con's between the two.

Answer 1

POP3 works by downloading all of your mail from the server to your computer's hard drive.

Benefits:
* All of your mail files are saved to your hard drive, so you can read the files you've downloaded even if you are no longer connected to the internet.

* Once a mail message is downloaded, even if it has an attachment, it will load quickly every time you open it because the file is on your own computer.

IMAP works by letting you connect to a mail server and browse the names of your mail messages before downloading them.

Benefits:
* When you connect to the e-mail server, you do not have to download every message before reading it. This is advantageous if you have many large messages in your inbox which you have not already downloaded.

* Your messages will be exactly the same no matter what computer you use to access them. The read/unread status of messages will always be accurate.

* Messages can be sorted into folders on the server. These folders will be accessible from any computer.

Answer 2

There are two different protocols available to access e-mail: POP3 and IMAP. POP3 is useful when e-mail is checked from only one computer. IMAP is the better choice when you would like to check your mail from multiple computers, at work and home, for example. IMAP has the added benefit of accessing folders on the server, allowing you to organize your e-mail, and access it from anywhere. Tulane's Webmail uses IMAP. If you use Webmail, you should use IMAP on all of your e-mail clients. Use of a POP3 mail client in association with Webmail can cause errors in your inbox that will result in a temporary loss of access to your mail.

POP3 works by reviewing the inbox on the mail server, and downloading the new messages to your computer. IMAP downloads the headers of the new messages on the server, then retrieves the message you want to read when you click on it.

When using POP3, your mail is stored on your PC. When using IMAP, the mail is stored on the mail server. Unless you copy a message to a "Local Folder" the messages are never copied to your PC.

Answer 3

the great distinction from the consumer's attitude is that in case you utilize extra desirable than one pc, with POP3, in case you study an digital mail in a single pc, it relatively is no longer incredibly there in case you look with the different pc, until you generally go away digital mail on the server with the 1st application and don't with the 2d. With IMAP, you have got any sort of pcs related to the digital mail server and that they are going to all get all of the digital mail.

Answer 4

actually, i dont understand much about the procedure of IMAP and POP, but i am using both of them, POP: one from googlemail and yahoo UK, IMAP is for my university email.
but as i've observed, to receive or send email through POP, i have to setup some parameters. while i dont have to set up any thing to get email through IMAP. one more thing, for POP, you can receive mail from one computer, after u have received it, if you go to another one, you cannot receive again. but with IMAP, you can receive ur email at anywhere, any computer, and no needs to worry about if ur emails will be deleted or not. unlike POP, you have to setup something in order to ur emails will not be deleted from ur account.

Answer 5

for free pop3 and imap email go here
http://freewww.uv.ro/email/email.html