IMAP vs POP3 | What is the difference?

[@attiqahmad728]

Very well explained. Thank you for making this video

[@itwithcarlos]

Thank you! I am glad you like it! Have a nice weekend!

[@mb-electricalservices]

Thank you Carlos. This was a very helpful video. 👍

[@itwithcarlos]

Thank yo Mike for your feedback, have a nice weekend!!!

[@nisakamil7456]

Thank you!! Very easy to understand!

[@benzflynn]

I do not *observe* any difference between these two protocols, IMAP and POP3. I use a mail server (probably Postfix as MTA and Dovecot as LDA/MDA) on my hosting company's server and Thunderbird email client. Regardless of whether I am online or offline, all messages downloaded via IMAP will be retained on the client's storage folders. And I see no old emails stored on my server files for email addresses accessed via IMAP either. Of course, it's possible that IMAP allows local storage of received emails. And it's possible that IMAP may allow a configuration that prevents storage on the mail server. Perhaps you can elaborate . . . 🤔

[@itwithcarlos]

Hi Ben, when using IMAP the communication between the server and the email app works in two ways while POP3 only works in one way. If you use IMAP, whatever you do (delete an email, create a folder, sent an email, etc.) on your email app, it will be replicated on the mail server. When using POP3, you can only download the emails from your INBOX and that's it. For example, when you sent an email (using POP3) the email won't be saved on the server. It will be stored or saved only in your device. The only emails that are saved on the server (when using POP3) are the emails that you receive in your Inbox (only if you select the option to save a copy on the server). Hope it helps to clarify the difference. Thank you!

[@benzflynn]

​@@itwithcarlos So IMAP *can* be configured to store _only at the client machine side_ or _only on the server's mail files_ ? Or can it also store on _both server and client_ machines ? The latter arrangement opens up the possibility of keeping some sensitive emails off the server while allowing others to remain on the server. As a matter of interest, if an email arrives via SMTPS to the mail server, will it be decrypted by key(s) on the server or can it be configured to only be decrypted by the email client ?

[@ASMRUpdater]

You are a good teacher.

[@itwithcarlos]

Thank you!!!

[@StagnantMizu]

so if I use IMAP with my own domainname server it wont store my emails on the e.g outlook or thunderbird servers right?

[@itwithcarlos]

If you use IMAP a copy of the email remain in the server and on any device where the email is configured as IMAP. Note: In Outlook, you can configure how much history you want to keep in your device. It could be just a few months, a year or the whole history. Thank you!

[@StagnantMizu]

@@itwithcarlos thanks for the reply; so outlook only retrieves the emails from the used server and only stores the data locally and not on a client cloud?

[@ameerabi4860]

Helpful video 👍

[@firmaevents9594]

HI Mr. Carlos, My boss bought the domain name from go daddy. To be honest he do not know nothing and iam helping him to teach him this stuff. Now we are going to buy the Microsoft 365 with exchange server. My question is when we are using outlook using imap or pop3 we are actually paying go daddy for the use of their servers or we are paying them for the domain name or for both. Is Imap and pop3 free or they are part of the domain. Appreciate helping us on this clarification

[@itwithcarlos]

It depends. The domain registration and the email service are two different service. The domain registration only give you the right to use the name. You will need to purchase the email service (it could be be with MS 365, Google Workspace or the email that comes with the webhosting) Outlook is the email app that connect to the email server. You will need to pay for the email service separately. Hope it helps.