How to Make Multiple Outlook POP Clients Receive Every Gmail Message
Question details
The user needs to configure two or more Outlook desktop installations so that all of them can download the same incoming Gmail messages using a POP connection.
- Product
- Microsoft Outlook and Gmail
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Accessing a single Gmail account from multiple computers via Outlook POP without losing emails on secondary devices.
- Observed behavior
- The first Outlook client to download a new message removes it from the Gmail server, preventing the second Outlook client from receiving that message.
Ensure you have access to all computers running the Outlook installations connected to this Gmail account, as the setting needs to be updated on every single device.
Enable 'Leave a copy of messages on the server'
This is the standard fix for POP email accounts. It forces Outlook to download the email but leave the original copy on the Gmail server so other devices can also retrieve it.
When using the POP protocol, the default behavior of most email clients is to download the message and immediately delete it from the server. By changing the advanced account settings in Outlook, you can override this behavior.
Launch Microsoft Outlook. Click on 'File' in the top left corner, navigate to 'Info', click 'Account Settings', and then select 'Account Settings' from the drop-down menu.
In the Email tab, double-click your connected Gmail POP account to open the account properties.
Click on the 'More Settings' button in the lower right corner, then navigate to the 'Advanced' tab in the new window.
Under the Delivery section, check the box that says 'Leave a copy of messages on the server'. Click 'OK', then 'Next', and finally 'Finish' to save your settings.
Switch from POP to IMAP
If you consistently use multiple devices to check your email, switching your Gmail connection from POP to IMAP is highly recommended.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my emails disappear from the Gmail server after downloading?
This happens because the POP (Post Office Protocol) is traditionally designed to download the email to your local client and immediately delete it from the server to save space. Enabling the 'Leave a copy' setting forces the client to bypass this default behavior.
Will leaving messages on the server fill up my Gmail storage?
Yes, over time, retaining all messages on the server will consume your Google account storage. To manage this in Outlook's POP settings, you can check the option 'Remove from server after X days' (e.g., 14 days) to give all your devices enough time to download the emails before they are safely deleted.
Why do mobile Gmail apps still see the emails when Outlook POP deletes them?
Mobile Gmail apps do not use the standard POP protocol; they use a direct sync method (or IMAP) tied to Google's servers. However, once a desktop Outlook client using POP deletes the email from the server, it will eventually disappear from the mobile app during its next sync unless the 'Leave a copy' setting is enabled.
