ANSWERED: What is the Difference Between IMAP and POP - Xfinity Connect Help

Choosing either POP or IMAP can impact the way you access and manage your email.

Note:To learn more about using third-party email clients (e.g., Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, etc.) to access your Comcast.net email address, please seeEnable/Disable Third-Party Client Access to Comcast.net Email - FAQs.

What are IMAP and POP?

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a popular protocol that keeps your email on the server and always synchronized across your devices. For example, if you delete, send or mark a message as unread on one device, it is reflected on all your devices.

POP (Post Office Protocol) downloads your email onto your device. Therefore, actions on one device are not reflected on other devices. Using the same example, if you delete, send or mark a message as unread on one device, the changes will not be reflected on other devices. Sometimes, POP will download your email but not leave a copy on the server for other applications or devices.

IMAP is generally favored by those who check their email on multiple devices since it provides a more consistent experience.

General Instructions for Switching to IMAP

For some email applications, switching from POP to IMAP is as simple as entering your Comcast email address and password.

1. Find your email application's Settings or Preferences section on the device that you use to access your Comcast email account.
2. Choose the option to Add new (IMAP) account...
3. Enter your Comcast email address and password when prompted, and submit.
4. You should now see two separate Comcast accounts - POP and IMAP.

Note: Before deleting your POP account, make sure that you move any emails or folders that you wish to save into your new IMAP account.