How do I change email from POP3 to IMAP?

[Doug Bursky]

Change email from POP3 to IMAP

Galaxy S4 running 4.4.2. With the help of Blue Mail, just discovered my ISP supports IMAP. How do I change the stock email without losing data, specifically saved and sent emails? Thanks.

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Change email from POP3 to IMAP

Welcome to Android Central! I think the server itself should have your saved emails, so if you change the email account settings to IMAP, it should resync everything, this time with the added benefit of any folder structure you may have created.

 

[Doug Bursky]

Re: Change email from POP3 to IMAP

Appreciate the welcome and response. Unfortunately, appears settings cannot be changed nor can a new account be added with the same email addy. Any other suggestions? Thanks!

 

[sherri]

Re: Change email from POP3 to IMAP

Can you delete current account? Then reinstall it?

 

[Doug Bursky]

Re: Change email from POP3 to IMAP

I could but would lose all my saved and sent emails.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: Change email from POP3 to IMAP

Changing an email account from POP3 to IMAP (or the other way around) is a server function. The phone email client just connects to whichever port the server is set for (IMAP or POP3) for that account. Call your ISP's tech support (not customer service, and hope that don't use the same people for both - tech support people should be technicians) and ask them if there's a way for you to change the account or if they would change it for you - without losing any emails. (They can - whether they know how, or they're allowed to, is another matter.)

 

[Doug Bursky]

Re: Change email from POP3 to IMAP

Changing an email account from POP3 to IMAP (or the other way around) is a server function. The phone email client just connects to whichever port the server is set for (IMAP or POP3) for that account. Call your ISP's tech support (not customer service, and hope that don't use the same people for both - tech support people should be technicians) and ask them if there's a way for you to change the account or if they would change it for you - without losing any emails. (They can - whether they know how, or they're allowed to, is another matter.)

Not sure I need to do that as I was able to set up a separate IMAP account in Blue Mail and the G4 stock email without contacting my ISP. I really just need to adjust settings of my primary acct but there is no way to do that unless I delete then restore. In that case and to clarify, I would lose my saved and sent emails on the device which is my main concern. Hope that helps. Really just wish it was easy to change settings but does not seem possible. Any other thoughts out there?

 

[RedStickHam]

Re: Change email from POP3 to IMAP

I haven't gotten around to setting my ISP Email on my Galaxy S3 yet but have finally decided to. My current account is POP3, but my ISP offers IMAP too and has instructions on how to convert my account over. I like the idea of IMAP keeping everything synced, but am concerned about data use since I share 2GB/Month with my wife. She has her Email set up as POP3 but I'd prefer IMAP for use on multiple devices since I'm setting up both a phone and a tablet. I was wondering if IMAP will use more data than POP3. Any advice?