How can I tell if I'm using POP or IMAP for my email settings?
Although every email program is slightly different, finding out if you're using POP or IMAP involves the same kind of steps.
It's very important to be sure of your settings, because if you delete a POP account, you'll lose any emails that are stored just on your email client.
Learn about the difference between IMAP and POP >
First, open up your email program, highlight the mail account you want to find out about, then open its settings or properties. Look to see whether the Mail Server "type" is set to IMAP or POP.
Click on the links to see how to check settings in the most common email programs.
PC email programs
Outlook 2013 >
Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2010 >
Outlook 2003 >
Outlook Express >
Windows Live Mail >
Windows 8 Mail >
Thunderbird for PC >
Mac email programs
Mac Mail >
Outlook for Mac >
Thunderbird for Mac >
Devices and apps
iPad or iPhone >
Android tablets and smartphones >
Blackberry devices >
BT Yahoo Mail app >
PC email programs
Outlook 2013
Click on Info and then Account Settings.
You'll see a list of your email accounts with the "Type" shown as "IMAP/SMTP" or "POP/SMTP".
Outlook 2007 & 2010
In any of these versions of Outlook, right click on the mailbox and select Account properties, then Account Settings.
You'll see a list of your email accounts with the "Type" shown as "IMAP/SMTP" or "POP/SMTP".
Outlook 2003
Right click on the mailbox and select Account properties, then Account Settings. In this example, you can see two email accounts: the first uses IMAP and the second uses POP.
Outlook Express
Rather than looking at settings for an individual account, it's easier to tell if you're using IMAP or POP by looking to see if there are just "Local Folders" (in which case you're using POP). If there are multiple (remote) folders, including both "Sent" and "Sent Items" (in which case you're using IMAP).
In this example, there's one account using POP (local folders) and one using IMAP (remote folders).
Windows Live Mail
Select the account, then click on the Accounts tab. If you're using IMAP you'll see a tab for "IMAP folders".
Windows 8 Mail
Windows 8 Mail only officially supports a Microsoft Mail account (addresses ending in @hotmail.com, @outlook.com or @live.com) so there's no need to check for your @btinternet.com or @btopenworld.com email address.
Thunderbird for PC
Right click the mailbox, select Settings and then Server settings. The "Server Type" will be "IMAP Mail server" or "POP mail server". This tells you whether you're using IMAP ot POP.
Note that if the Server Type is set to POP, you might see "pop.btinternet.com", "pop3.btinternet.com" and "mail.btinternet.com" against "Server Name". If it's set to IMAP, then you might see "imap.btinternet.com" or "mail.btinternet.com".
Apple Mac email programs
Mac Mail
To check the server settings, click on Mail then Preferences
Select the Accounts tab. Selct the account you want to check. Under "Account information" it should say whether the "Account type" is IMAP or POP.
Outlook for Mac
- In Outlook, click on Tools then select Accounts...
- If this is the first time you've run Outlook for Mac, you'll be able to choose E-mail Account from the main window. Otherwise, click the arrow next to the + symbol and choose E-mail
- The box for 'Type' will show whether it's IMAP or POP
Thunderbird for Mac
To see if POP or IMAP is being used on Thunderbird for Mac, right click the account, select Settings, then Server Settings. The "Server Type" will be either "IMAP Mail Server" or "POP Mail Server".
Devices
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iPad or iPhone
From the homescreen click on Settings then Mail, Contacts, Calenders. Choose your BT email account from the list then select Account.
If your "OUTGOING MAIL SERVER" is "Yahoo! SMTP Server" you're on IMAP. If it's "mail.btinternet.com" you're on POP.
Android tablets and smartphones
There are several versions of Android. The instructions below should help you with most versions, but the screens may differ slightly.
- Go to Settings scroll down to the Accounts section and select your email account
- Select Account Settings
- Select the account you want to check
- Scroll to Server Settings and select Incoming settings.
- You'll be able to see whether you're using IMAP or POP by the server type
Blackberry devices
There is no way to check if you're using IMAP or POP on a Blackberry device. Please assume that you're on IMAP and follow the instructions for removing and setting up an IMAP account.
BT Yahoo Mail app
There's no need for you to do anything or check any settings.
However, because BT Mail isn't provided by Yahoo, once we move you to BT Mail the BT Yahoo Mail app won't work any more. To get your emails via the web, simply log in via the "Email" link at the top of any BT.com page.
