Before you begin, it’s important to know that email applications cannot change IMAP to POP3 directly. Instead, you’ll remove the existing IMAP account from your email application and add it again using POP3 settings.
To avoid losing important emails, make sure you back up any messages you want to keep before making the change.
This guide will help you change your email account from IMAP to POP3 using your 1-grid email hosting settings.
By following the steps below, you’ll configure your email account to download messages directly to a single device instead of synchronising them across multiple devices.
What This Means
Email accounts can be configured using either IMAP or POP3.
IMAP
IMAP stores your emails on the mail server and synchronises your mailbox across all connected devices.
If you read, move or delete an email on one device, those changes are reflected everywhere you access your email.
IMAP is recommended for users who access email from multiple devices.
POP3
POP3 downloads emails directly to a single device.
Depending on your email client settings, downloaded messages may be removed from the server after retrieval.
POP3 is best suited if:
- You only use one device to access email.
- You prefer storing emails locally.
- You want to reduce server mailbox usage.
Steps to Change an IMAP Account to POP3
Step 1: Back Up Your Existing Emails
Before changing your account type:
- Back up any important emails you want to keep.
- Confirm you know your email password.
- Ensure you have access to your hosting control panel.
Removing an IMAP account from your email application does not delete the mailbox from the server, but emails that exist only locally should always be backed up.
Step 2: Retrieve Your POP3 Settings
1. Log in to your 1-grid Hosting Control Panel.
Navigate to:
Email → Email Accounts
2. Locate the email account you want to update and select Connect Devices (or the equivalent email configuration option).
Record the following information:
- Incoming mail server (POP3)
- POP3 port number
- Outgoing mail server (SMTP)
- SMTP port number
- Username (your full email address)
- Encryption type (SSL/TLS)
IMPORTANT: You’ll need these settings when configuring your email application.
Step 3: Remove the Existing IMAP Account
1. Open the email application currently configured with IMAP.
2. Locate the account settings.
3. Select the email account.
Choose the option (depending on your email application) to:
- Remove
- Delete
- Sign Out
4. Confirm the removal.
IMPORTANT: This removes the account from your device only; it does not delete the mailbox from the server/webmail.
Step 4: Add the Email Account Again Using POP3
1. Open your email application.
2. Select Add Account.
3. Enter:
- Your email address
- Your password
4. When prompted for the account type, choose:
- POP3
5. Enter the POP3 and SMTP settings you recorded earlier.
6. Complete the setup process.
Step 5: Test Your Email
1. Once setup is complete:
- Send a test email to another address.
- Receive a test email.
- Confirm you can both send and receive messages successfully.
Your email account is now configured using POP3.
Important Things to Know
- Email applications cannot convert IMAP accounts directly to POP3.
- POP3 downloads messages to one device.
- Changes made on one POP3 device do not synchronise with other devices.
- Some email clients allow you to leave copies of messages on the server.
- If emails are removed from the server after download, they may no longer be available in Webmail or on other devices.
- Local email backups become more important when using POP3.
Before You Move On
After configuring POP3:
- Confirm incoming and outgoing email is working.
- Verify SSL/TLS encryption is enabled.
- Review your email client’s Leave messages on server setting.
- Decide whether you want emails to remain available in Webmail.
- Confirm your mailbox behaves as expected before deleting any backups.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Removing the IMAP account before backing up important emails.
- Selecting IMAP again instead of POP3 during setup.
- Using incorrect POP3 or SMTP server settings.
- Forgetting to enable SSL/TLS encryption.
- Not reviewing the Leave messages on server option, which may affect email availability across devices.
If This Didn’t Work
Before contacting 1-grid Support, please gather the following information:
- Your domain name
- Your email address
- Any error message displayed
- A screenshot of the error (if available)
- The email application and version you’re using
- Your device and operating system
- Confirmation that the account is configured as POP3
Having this information available will help us investigate your issue more efficiently.
Related Articles
- Understanding the Difference Between POP3 and IMAP
- How to Find Your Email Client Configuration Settings in cPanel/Webmail
- How to Find Your Email Client Configuration Settings in Plesk
- How to Set Up a POP3 Email Account
- Troubleshooting Email Sending and Receiving Issues
- How to Access Webmail
FAQs
Can I change an IMAP account directly to POP3?
No. Most email applications require you to remove the IMAP account and add it again using POP3.
Will removing my IMAP account delete my mailbox?
No. Removing the account only deletes the configuration from your device. Your mailbox remains active on the server.
Will I lose my emails?
You may lose access to emails stored only within your email application if they are not backed up before removing the account. Always create a backup first.
Why would someone choose POP3 instead of IMAP?
POP3 is suitable if you access email from only one device or prefer storing emails locally instead of on the mail server.
Can I still use Webmail after switching to POP3?
Yes, but depending on your email client’s settings, downloaded emails may be removed from the server and therefore may no longer appear in Webmail.
Can I switch back to IMAP later?
Yes. You can remove the POP3 account and configure the mailbox again using IMAP whenever needed.
Empowering Insight
Choosing the right email protocol depends on how you work. If you mainly use one computer and prefer local storage, POP3 can be a suitable option. Understanding how it manages your emails helps you avoid unexpected data loss and keeps your mailbox organised.
Need Additional Support?
If you’re unable to complete the migration after following this guide, review your POP3 and SMTP settings to ensure they’re correct.
If you still need assistance, contact us with your domain name, email address, email application details and any error messages so we can help you get your mailbox working as quickly as possible.