QWorks Quick Q&A – Email POP vs. IMAP

POP email is a method of retrieving your email from a server, usually internet based, and downloading that email into an email client such as Outlook or Thunderbird.

IMAP email is a method of synchronizing your email with a server, usually internet based. Therefore IMAP is the preferred method when you have multiple devices that are email capable. In this way, when you have read an email, it is marked as read on all devices. If you reply to an email, that populates to all your devices.

IMAP is the way to go.

And for you aspiring geeks:
POP – Post Office Protocol
IMAP – Internet Message Access Protocol