Today, we’re going to take a look at two popular email types: IMAP vs POP3. If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between the two, or whether you should use one over the other, we’ll cover those topics and more in this article.
Definition
IMAP and POP3 can be easily confused with each other, so let’s break them down into their definitions.
POP3 stands for Post Office Protocol version 3.
POP3 is a protocol used to access email locally on a server and retrieve email data.
IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol.
IMAP offers a more efficient management of email exchange on a network.
Simply put, POP3 is a way to access your emails through a network, but IMAP is a more advanced version.
POP3 Access, Function, and Use
POP3 allows your computer to communicate with a remote server and transfer email messages between your mailbox and the server.
POP3 is the most common method of transferring mail from your mailbox to another location, such as an email account at work or school. It’s also a good choice if you want to access your email from multiple devices or computers, because it allows you to access your account from anywhere at any time.
If you’re using an Exchange Server, Gmail, or Google Apps account, then POP3 might be the best option for accessing your emails on those platforms.
IMAP Access, Function, and Use
When you use IMAP, all of your email is stored in the account on your computer, rather than being stored on a server somewhere else. This can be useful if you want to keep all of your mail in one place but still have access to it from anywhere. If you lose your internet connection or have problems with your computer, you can still access your account without having to worry about losing any important information in the process.
You should always use IMAP if possible because it’s more secure than using POP3, which means that there are fewer risks associated with using an account that’s not protected by SSL encryption. If you have sensitive information stored in the account and don’t want anyone else accessing it, then IMAP is definitely the way to go!
