Apple Mail -- POP or IMAP for Easiest Use

[Val-kyrie]

I had been using Mail on an old Mac and decided to transition everything to a user account on my Mac Mini. I set up my mail accounts from scratch within OS X (Gmail, Live Mail, and ISP Mail).

Previously I had been using POP for my accounts and while the mail server didn't sync, at least I could delete and organize my mail. I wanted to switch to IMAP so I could sync multiple devices but I cannot get the mail from Gmail or Live Mail to delete and remain deleted. It just redownloads, defeating the whole purpose of using Mail in the first place.

I would appreciate any and all recommendations and advice based on your settings.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Cyberpower678]

I had been using Mail on an old Mac and decided to transition everything to a user account on my Mac Mini. I set up my mail accounts from scratch within OS X (Gmail, Live Mail, and ISP Mail).

Previously I had been using POP for my accounts and while the mail server didn't sync, at least I could delete and organize my mail. I wanted to switch to IMAP so I could sync multiple devices but I cannot get the mail from Gmail or Live Mail to delete and remain deleted. It just redownloads, defeating the whole purpose of using Mail in the first place.

I would appreciate any and all recommendations and advice based on your settings.

Thanks in advance for your help.

That sometimes happens to my gmail too, but my other 2 mail accounts function perfectly. Could be a gmail problem. I noticed it just takes some time for the changes to take effect on Gmail. Delete them and wait 30 minutes and see if it's still there. If it isn't there's some kind of delay or latency in their server slowing down the sync. If it is delete on gmail for the time being and file a bug on bugreport.apple.com

 

[Fishrrman]

I've always preferred POP.

How I set it up on my 3 Macs:
1. I designate ONE Mac to be my "main Mac for email". On this Mac I have Mail.app set to remove messages from the server when it contacts the server for incoming mail.
2. On the other two Macs, I set Mail.app up with everything the same, EXCEPT I have them both set to NEVER delete messages from the server.

This means if I'm at one of my "other two" Macs (including a laptop for traveling), I can read any new mail, but it will be left on the server until I "gather it up" on my "Main Mac". Once I bring it in on my Main Mac, however, it's "off the server" for good.

Not sure if this same method of operation would work on iOS or other portable devices, as I don't have any.
But for Mac mail management, it works fine for me...

 

[Val-kyrie]

That sometimes happens to my gmail too, but my other 2 mail accounts function perfectly. Could be a gmail problem. I noticed it just takes some time for the changes to take effect on Gmail. Delete them and wait 30 minutes and see if it's still there. If it isn't there's some kind of delay or latency in their server slowing down the sync. If it is delete on gmail for the time being and file a bug on bugreport.apple.com

Do you also have an Archive folder?

I have read a few discussions about it. Some say to omit from displaying, but others say not showing this folder from Gmail can cause problems with e-mail disappearing.

 

[Cyberpower678]

Do you also have an Archive folder?

I have read a few discussions about it. Some say to omit from displaying, but others say not showing this folder from Gmail can cause problems with e-mail disappearing.

I do, but my archive folder isn't causing me issues. My gmail works fine now.

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I also forgot to mention that you should go to system preferences, and then accounts, and select your gmail one. It may ask you to log in before it allows you to do anything. That might also be the cause of your problem.

 

[Val-kyrie]

I do, but my archive folder isn't causing me issues. My gmail works fine now.

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I also forgot to mention that you should go to system preferences, and then accounts, and select your gmail one. It may ask you to log in before it allows you to do anything. That might also be the cause of your problem.

Thanks for the heads up. Everything seems to be working at the moment.

 

[Cyberpower678]

Thanks for the heads up. Everything seems to be working at the moment.

I take it that was the cause. If it was, glad I could be of help.