Email Sync Problems

How to Stop Outlook from Deleting Emails Removed on Your Phone

Muhammad Talha Oct 7, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent emails deleted on their mobile device from being permanently removed from the Outlook desktop application and the mail server.

How to Stop Outlook from Deleting Emails Removed on a Phone

Product: Microsoft Outlook
Device & OS: Samsung phone
Scenario: Deleting an email on a smartphone automatically deletes it everywhere due to email synchronization protocols.
Observed behavior: When a message is deleted on the Samsung phone, the IMAP protocol syncs this action, causing the email to disappear from Outlook on the PC and the main mail server.

Before you start

Before changing your account settings from IMAP to POP, ensure you have backed up any important custom folders locally in Outlook, as removing an IMAP account will clear its cached folders from your current view.

Solution 1Recommended

Switch Your Email Account Protocol from IMAP to POP

Change your email configuration to POP on all devices and configure it to leave a copy of messages on the server so deletions on one device do not affect others.

By default, many email apps set up accounts using IMAP. IMAP is designed to synchronize your inbox across all devices, which means any action (like reading or deleting an email) on your phone is mirrored on the server and your Outlook desktop app.

To stop this behavior, you must switch to POP (Post Office Protocol). POP simply downloads the emails to your device. When configured correctly, it will not sync deletions back to the mail server.

Remove the existing IMAP account

In Outlook, go to 'File' > 'Account Settings' > 'Account Settings'. Select your current IMAP email account from the list and click 'Remove'. Confirm the prompt.

Re-add the account manually as POP

Click 'New' in the Account Settings window. Enter your email address, click 'Advanced options', check 'Let me set up my account manually', and click 'Connect'. Choose 'POP' from the list of account types.

Enter your mail server settings

Input the specific POP incoming server and SMTP outgoing server addresses provided by your email provider, along with the correct port numbers.

Enable 'Leave a copy of messages on the server'

Once the account is added, double-click it in the Account Settings list. Click 'More Settings' > 'Advanced'. Check the box that says 'Leave a copy of messages on the server' so Outlook does not delete them after downloading.

Reconfigure your Samsung phone

Open the email app on your Samsung phone, remove the current IMAP account, and add it back manually as a POP3 account. Ensure you also select the setting to not delete emails from the server when deleted from the phone.

Switch Your Email Account Protocol from IMAP to POP

Apply to All Devices: You must configure your email account as POP on both your Outlook desktop and your Samsung phone. If one device remains on IMAP, it may still trigger server-wide deletions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between IMAP and POP?

IMAP creates a direct line to your mail server, meaning whatever you do on one device (reading, sorting, or deleting emails) is synchronized everywhere. POP downloads a copy of the email to your specific device and severs the connection, so local changes or deletions do not affect the main server or other devices.

Will I lose my current emails if I switch from IMAP to POP?

Any emails currently stored on your mail server will redownload when you set up POP. However, custom folders created under an IMAP account do not sync via POP. You should manually back up or move emails from custom folders to your local drive before removing the IMAP account in Outlook.

How do I find the correct POP server settings for my email?

You can usually find your POP and SMTP server settings by searching your email provider's official support documentation (e.g., searching for 'Gmail POP settings' or 'Yahoo mail server settings'). You will need the server address, port number, and encryption method.

Can I use POP on my phone and IMAP on my computer?

While technically possible, it is not recommended. If you use IMAP on your computer and POP on your phone, deleting an email on your computer will permanently remove it from the server, meaning your phone won't be able to download it later if it hasn't synced yet.

Outlook & Email Problems