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Change a POP to IMAP mail configuration
This guide explains how to switch, in an email software/client, from a POP configuration to an IMAP configuration for the same email account. Indeed, for many reasons, it is strongly recommended to use the IMAP protocol instead of POP.
Switching from the POP protocol to the IMAP protocol…
If your email address is already configured with the POP protocol in your email software/client (Mozilla Thunderbird, Microsoft Outlook, etc.), it is impossible to switch to the IMAP protocol directly on the account. Indeed, the most common email software/clients do not allow modifying an existing POP3 account and setting it to IMAP instead.
The solution is to add the same email account but with the IMAP protocol in your email software/client and then to move your messages and folders from the POP account (from your computer) to the IMAP account (on the mail server).
⚠️ Warning: a POP3 account on your email software implies that Infomaniak most of the time does not have any backup. It is therefore important to back up your messages on your side before any critical manipulation.
… with Microsoft Outlook
Some versions of Outlook, such as 2016, prevent the simple addition of a second account that would have the same name (identical email address).
To work around this, you need to add the account from the Profiles:
And from there, you will be able to add the additional account, in IMAP:
- Configure the new email account with the IMAP protocol (the same account as the one configured in POP but this time in IMAP):
- Move one folder at a time by dragging them to the inbox of the new account configured in IMAP:
- Wait during the transfer of the items (this can take a long time depending on the volume to be transferred to the server); the activity is indicated at the bottom of the window:
If your POP account kept a copy of the messages on the server (disrecommended option present in the advanced settings of your Outlook), you may have duplicate messages.
… with Apple Mail
Deleting the email account configured in POP deletes the messages it contains. It is therefore recommended to deactivate the POP account instead of deleting it!
Once the POP account is deactivated, refer to this other guide to configure your email address in Apple Mail, in IMAP.
Once you have finished, all you have to do is drag the messages present in your POP account hierarchy to the hierarchy of the new IMAP account.