What is IMAP? - easily explained

The question of what IMAP is, arises at the latest when you create an account via an email client such as Thunderbird. After the formalities have been completed, you usually have to decide whether you want to create a POP account or an IMAP account.

IMAP versus POP - what is it?

Internet Message Access Protocol - that is behind the abbreviation IMAP, whereas POP is the abbreviation for Post Office Protocol. So both are a protocol.

• Both protocols have in common that they contain rules with which two computers can communicate with each other. In this case it would be your computer or your email client with the computer of your email provider.
• If you opt for the somewhat newer protocol, the IMAP, the emails generally remain on the server of the email provider.
• This means that all transactions that you carry out on your email client take place on the Emal server almost simultaneously. For example, if you delete the recycle bin content via Thunderbird or Outlook, you also delete all mails in the recycle bin on the email server.
• You basically use the email client like a remote control for your account on the email server.
• This has the advantage that you can check e-mails with both your computer and your smartphone and they are always up to date.
• On the other hand, this naturally means that you cannot save mails on your computer with an IMAP account and then delete them from the server, as is the case with a POP account.
• With a POP account, download the mails to your computer and then manage them on your own hard drive. You can delete the mail copies on the server after the download if you want.

If you have opted for a POP account instead of the IMAP account, you can also work well offline with Thunderbird, for example.