Synchronize vs Get New Mail ?

[MacMan988]

Hi, I have been using web mail for my entire life and recently thought of trying the Apple Mail app with Gmail and Yahoo to see if it offers anything that could improve my work-flow.

I'm confused about the two options "Get New Mail" and "Synchronize" as they seems to be doing the same thing. "Get New Mail" sounds like it is supposed to fetch new mail! If then what is "Synchronizing" in the Mac Mail app?

 

[robgendreau]

It's basically a matter of scope; getting mail checks inbox and some other stuff to make sure you get new messages, and mark the ones that have possibly been read on other machines, etc.

Synch goes deeper, as I understand IMAP, and compares even older folders and mail to make sure you and the server are seeing the same thing.

Another thing would be to rebuild mailboxes locally, which makes sure what you have locally isn't corrupt.

You may never even have to use that setting; I only use it after moving around a bunch of stuff in mail to make sure my folders and whatnot are the same on my laptop as well.