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Gmail POP3 problem

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J_B
J_B Posts: 6,798 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
I use Thunderbird on my W10 laptop and K9 Mail on my android phone.
I've always used pop3 as I prefer it that way.
Leave stuff on my phone that I want there and leave stuff on my laptop that I want there - simples!



I've just set up a new gmail address for a particular 'project'and thought I'd try IMAP as everyone seems to rave about it!
Anyway, it didn't work as I liked so I've swapped it to POP3, but it now seems fraught with problems.
If I read a message on one device, it doesn't appear on the other.
It's still there in my gmail inbox on the web interface, but whichever device gets it first, doesn't then let it d/l onto the other.


I have another gmail account that is set up as I wish, but the issue doesn't occur.
I've checked all the settings in TB and on gmail web, but can't get to the bottom of it.


Can anyone throw any light on where I'm going wrong??


:(
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Comments

  • psychic_teabag
    psychic_teabag Posts: 2,865 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    My understanding was that POP was generally used when you wanted to download the email and then delete it from the server (so it would only be seen on the first device that connects) whereas IMAP was used when you wanted to leave the email on the server and hence every device that connected would see the same view.

    So the way you describe now is the way I'd expect things to behave - the web interface is (probably) behaving as an imap client, leaving the email on the server for the next device that connects. But when it connects using POP, it downloads it then deletes it.

    Obviously you can override these defaults - you can tell POP to leave the message on the server, and you can tell IMAP to download then delete the message.

    I'm not quite sure how you had things originally configured - by what mechanism did you decide whether a given email belonged on the laptop or the phone ?
  • grumpycrab
    grumpycrab Posts: 5,025 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Bake Off Boss!
    J_B wrote: »
    I've just set up a new gmail address for a particular 'project'and thought I'd try IMAP...swapped it to POP3, but it now seems fraught with problems.

    I have another gmail account that is set up as I wish, but the issue doesn't occur.

    Guess you need to compare the settings at Gmail and the apps which you use to read your email. For POP to work with multiple apps you need to ensure that "Leave messages on server" is ticked.
    e.g. with TB see https://www.greennet.org.uk/support/how-setup-thunderbird-leave-messages-server

    PS. I personally don't rave about IMAP but when you have more than 1 email reader(app) it is more logical than POP in my opinion.
    If you put your general location in your Profile, somebody here may be able to come and help you.
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,798 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    <<Guess you need to compare the settings at Gmail and the apps which you use to read your email.>>


    I've been through it several times but am stumped!


    Yes, messages are set to 'leave on server'


    Presumably (?) the gmail web interface is the same as the server.


    The message is there, but won't D/L to the 2nd device that tries to get it.


    :(
  • grumpycrab
    grumpycrab Posts: 5,025 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Bake Off Boss!
    J_B wrote: »
    Presumably (?) the gmail web interface is the same as the server.
    Yes. Check your POP settings under
    https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#settings/fwdandpop

    Guess you have 1. pop enabled for all mail AND 2. When messages are accessed with pop -> Keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox (NB. I use IMAP so the picture below is for IMAP)

    DhGZWfnWsAISP60.jpg
    If you put your general location in your Profile, somebody here may be able to come and help you.
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,798 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Looks the same to me ...


    https://imgur.com/a/lTnNtrD
  • psychic_teabag
    psychic_teabag Posts: 2,865 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Check for a flag (either client or server) that tells POP to look at only new messages. Once it has been downloaded to one device, it is no longer "new". It might not be offerered to subsequent clients.
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,798 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Check for a flag (either client or server) that tells POP to look at only new messages. Once it has been downloaded to one device, it is no longer "new". It might not be offerered to subsequent clients.


    Can't find any of those 'flags' - can you?
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,798 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Check for a flag (either client or server) that tells POP to look at only new messages. Once it has been downloaded to one device, it is no longer "new". It might not be offerered to subsequent clients.
    J_B wrote: »
    Can't find any of those 'flags' - can you?


    And it happens on both 'clients' so don't think that's the issue.


    :(
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,798 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I tried altering this setting

    axd5x3.jpg



    and that downloaded all the missing messages on my phone (as well as the 'sent' ones!) but then a new email has just come to my laptop which won't D/L to the phone!!
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,798 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    BUMP


    Anyone else?


    Please :)
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