The second is a mail server back end where all the message storage and routing goes on. The first is a web front end where you can read, organize, and compose messages. You begin sending and receiving email through the webmail service by connecting to it in your browser. Say you sign up for a new email address with Google’s Gmail. Let’s run through a quick example to explain the difference. However, many webmail providers also allow users to use email clients with their service-and here’s where it may start to get confusing. Some of the back end work of sending email and all of the front end work of creating a user interface (what you look at to receive your email) is done on your device with the installed app, rather than by your browser with instructions from the remote server.
The client apps interact with remote email servers to download and send email to whomever you might care to. your personal or work PC, a tablet, or smartphone). servers and machines you connect to through the Internet).Įmail clients are apps you install on local devices (i.e. All of the work, so to speak, is done by remote computers (i.e.
Webmail is an app that’s written to be operated over the internet through a browser-usually with no downloaded applications or additional software necessary. But what if you want to use POP3, or you’re not using a Microsoft or Gmail account? You’ll have to choose your protocol manually and enter it.Both webmail and email clients send and receive email, and they use similar methods for doing so. Outlook already knows what the IMAP settings are for Gmail (and obviously for their own or other Microsoft accounts) so they don’t need you to enter the information.
How to Connect Using POP3 or Another Email Provider If you switched on “Set up Outlook Mobile on my phone, too,” you’ll be taken to a web page that asks for your mobile phone number so it can send you a link to download the Outlook app. Your new mailbox will appear in the navigation pane on the left-hand side underneath any existing accounts you’ve set up. By default, it will only sync the last year of email, but you can change that if you want. Outlook will now sync your mail, which may take a little time depending on how much is in your inbox.
If you want to add the Outlook app to your phone to see the mail account there as well, switch on “Set up Outlook Mobile on my phone, too.” Click Done, and you’re finished.
Your account will now be added automatically using the IMAP protocol.
You should be able to find any required details in your provider’s Wiki or by contacting customer service.
How to Access Your Email Account Through Microsoft Outlook This is why we recommend you use IMAP unless you’ve got a good reason to use POP3. All the things you do with your email are synced if you use IMAP, so for example, if you send an email from your phone, you can look in the Sent Items folder using your tablet and the email you sent will be there. IMAP is much more suited to a modern world where we access the same email account on multiple devices, such as your phone, laptop, and tablet. So, if you delete a piece of mail on your computer, it deletes it on the email server, and vice versa. Any changes you make in your email client are synced with the server. The IMAP protocol downloads a copy of your email from the server to the client on your computer. It then deletes the email on the server, so the only copy of your emails is on your computer. The POP3 protocol downloads your email from the server to the client on your computer.