Moving from POP to IMAP
If you currently receive your email using POP and would like to switch to IMAP, so you can read your mail from more than one device, it’s worth knowing that this isn’t something you can just switch on. POP normally downloads messages straight to your computer, so some or all of your email history may only exist on that device, not on the mail server. If a POP account is simply removed and re-added as IMAP, that locally stored mail can be lost for good. Follow the steps below in order to make the switch safely.
Step 1: Back up your email first
Before you change anything, take a full backup of your mail. This means that even if something doesn’t go to plan, your messages are safe.
How to back up your mail in Outlook (PST export)
- Open Outlook and click File, then Open & Export, then Import/Export.
- Choose Export to a file, then click Next.
- Choose Outlook Data File (.pst), then click Next.
- Select your email account name at the top of the folder list, tick Include subfolders, then click Next.
- Choose a location to save the file, add a password if you’d like one, then click Finish.
If you’d like a searchable local archive of your email as well, MailStore Home is a free tool for Windows that can help. This is entirely optional: https://www.mailstore.com/en/products/mailstore-home/
Step 2: Stop new mail arriving only in the POP account
If possible, turn off automatic sending and receiving for the POP account (in your mail client’s account or send/receive settings) so no new mail arrives there while you set up IMAP.
Step 3: Add the same mailbox again, this time as IMAP
In your mail client, add a new account for the same email address, but choose IMAP instead of POP when setting it up. Keep the existing POP account in place for now, don’t remove it yet. If you’re not sure of the correct server settings, contact us and we can confirm these for you.
Step 4: Move your important mail across
Once the new IMAP account is showing in your mail client and working correctly, drag or copy any mail you want kept from your old POP folders into the matching IMAP folders. This is only needed for mail you’d like available on the server and on all your devices going forward.
Step 5: Check everything, then remove the old POP account
Take a moment to check that all the mail you wanted has copied across correctly to the IMAP account. Only once you’re happy everything is there should you remove the old POP account.
Need help?
If you’re unsure about any of these steps, or would rather we checked things over before you remove the old POP account, please get in touch before deleting anything.