POP3, synching and delete emails from server only

[Cephas]

Do I need synching at all when it is POP3 ?  I would have thought there would be an option under the POP3 server settings to "delete mail once downloaded" but no option there.

We simply want to be able to POP3 to the server, once the email is downloaded into AM, that file is deleted from the server. There are 784 files sitting on the server. AM has done the POP3 and downloaded them all.  I have checked to make sure some of the other limits are set high.

Please explain how to retrieve emails into AM by POP3 and then delete from the server.

[Martin, Aqua Mail Support]

Hi Cephas,

For POP3, the option to "delete mail once downloaded" is handled by the server. You won't see such an option in Aqua Mail.

In order to set this up, you need to enable the setting on your mail provider's website, then you'll likely have to re-download the messages with Aqua Mail so the server deletes them.

However, I don't recommend this approach for the following reason: You cannot export your messages from Aqua Mail. This means that you, eventually, will lose this mail. Whether it's by changing your phone, by factory resetting or by uninstalling Aqua Mail itself.

If you don't mind the server space being taken up, I'd recommend leaving the mail there. Alternatively, a good way to backup mail are desktop mail clients. Those usually have more robust options related to POP3 mail and storing/archiving of messages.

[Cephas]

Thanks for your reply.

For POP3, the option to "delete mail once downloaded" is handled by the server. You won't see such an option in Aqua Mail.

In order to set this up, you need to enable the setting on your mail provider's website, then you'll likely have to re-download the messages with Aqua Mail so the server deletes them.

That is not correct. For POP3, deletion of emails from the server always requires an instruction from the email client. In this scenario, the client is Aquamail.

However, I don't recommend this approach for the following reason: You cannot export your messages from Aqua Mail. This means that you, eventually, will lose this mail. Whether it's by changing your phone, by factory resetting or by uninstalling Aqua Mail itself.

If you don't mind the server space being taken up, I'd recommend leaving the mail there. Alternatively, a good way to backup mail are desktop mail clients. Those usually have more robust options related to POP3 mail and storing/archiving of messages.

Hmm, so the Aquamail backup doesn't backup the emails ?  Oh, I see that has been answered at https://www.aqua-mail.com/forum/index.php?topic=8205.0 , thanks. We don't want the emails on the server, simply because we have no need. Therefore, we have no need of IMAP.

[Cephas]

Have downloaded the latest stable release of 'Pro' onto a phone to use for testing. Here are my options

1. POP3 - No new folders can be created and the emails retrieved are not being deleted from the server. This is not, and never is, a server config, so please explain where in AquaMail I can configure it to delete the emails from the server after a POP3 retrieval, and leave the emails locally.

2. IMAP - New folders can be created (not tested yet) - How can this type of account be setup/configured to download new emails and delete them from the server, and NOT delete them locally.

Both these options require the download of new emails, delete them from the server, and NO deletion locally. Please advise on all other settings that may impact upon the above two simple requirements.

[Martin, Aqua Mail Support]

Hi Cephas,

The attached screenshot shows how POP3 works on Gmail. When the mail is accessed, the server deletes it, if configured to do so. Hotmail/Outlook for web has a similar approach but it stores the mail in Deleted/POP3 subfolder instead.

There is no option in Aqua Mail to accomplish this, as I already said in my previous reply.


With IMAP, deleting locally is synonymous with deleting from the server. Again using my Gmail example, you are able to configure it on the server that the message is archived or moved to trash instead.

[Cephas]

Thanks for your reply Martin.

The attached screenshot shows how POP3 works on Gmail. When the mail is accessed, the server deletes it, if configured to do so. Hotmail/Outlook for web has a similar approach but it stores the mail in Deleted/POP3 subfolder instead.

Yes, that is what I have stated beforehand. The deletion of emails from the server is always controlled by the client.

There is no option in Aqua Mail to accomplish this, as I already said in my previous reply.

As per the GMail example, and probably the majority of other email clients, on multiple OS platforms, I have never seen an email client running POP3 that did NOT have an option to delete the emails from the server. I have been testing various other Android email clients - they all had the option under POP3 to delete emails from the server. If we use POP3 I'm going to have to write a cron script to periodically remove the emails from the server. Not everyone wants their emails left on a server.

With IMAP, deleting locally is synonymous with deleting from the server. Again using my Gmail example, you are able to configure it on the server that the message is archived or moved to trash instead.

Hmm, so if we want folders we have to use IMAP, yet IMAP on Aqua Mail does not have the ability to remove emails from the server and leave them locally. Or if we use POP3, we have no folders and are left with emails on the server. Would this not be called a catch-22 ?

[Martin, Aqua Mail Support]

Hi Cephas,

I will just reiterate on what is important here: Aqua Mail doesn't have the option you're looking for. I've recorded your suggestion to include such an option, but in the current situation it's unlikely this will ever be added. It's not a priority to extend POP3 features since POP3 is old and rarely used.

If you want to delete mail on the server and have custom user folders, you'll need to think of another solution or compromise with your requirements.

Martin