POP3 Email Support

[bosamar]

I'm a Microsoft enthusiast who is considering purchasing a RT tablet. I've search the forums but cannot nail down an answer to POP3 email support.

- Does RT support POP3 email accounts? I have at least 3 separate POP3 accounts I want to add.
- Do I need an exchange account?

I own a v1 iPad and my POP3 accounts work flawlessly on it. I'm hoping for the same experience on RT....

 

[Cefoxtrot]

No, it does not support POP3. You have to get your provider to switch your email to IMAP or EAS.
Good luck.

 

[jnjroach]

Also, you can integrate your POP3 accounts into Outlook.com (Hotmail) using your Microsoft Account (formally your Live Account).

How to add any POP3 Email Account to Hotmail - How-To Geek

HTH,

 

[bosamar]

No, it does not support POP3. You have to get your provider to switch your email to IMAP or EAS.
Good luck.

My ISP supports IMAP so I guess I'll have to make the switch if I get the Surface RT. Thanks.

 

[guitar1969]

Also, you can integrate your POP3 accounts into Outlook.com (Hotmail) using your Microsoft Account (formally your Live Account).

How to add any POP3 Email Account to Hotmail - How-To Geek

HTH,

Actually the Outlook.com/ Hotmail solution is half baked as you won't be able to send emails with that Pop3 email address as the "Sent From" - its a forward. The better solution until MS addresses this (I was told directly by them that there will be a fix) is to do it through a Gmail account as it has robust forwarding and subfolder options and you can still send emails from those accounts as well rather than a forward You will have to set it up through Gmails web interface - I have 2 POP3s going that route ,

 

[leeshor]

I think you'll find that IMAP is a better solution for mobile mail. Most phones do IMAP pretty automatically and it will save you headaches if you are using that account on another system. My primary mail address is hosted by one of the few systems that has no IMAP option, wouldn't you know it!

 

[galeman]

Actually the Outlook.com/ Hotmail solution is half baked as you won't be able to send emails with that Pop3 email address as the "Sent From" - its a forward. The better solution until MS addresses this (I was told directly by them that there will be a fix) is to do it through a Gmail account as it has robust forwarding and subfolder options and you can still send emails from those accounts as well rather than a forward You will have to set it up through Gmails web interface - I have 2 POP3s going that route ,

Good to hear that it will be fixed, but how trusted is the contact? About the Gmail, I tried it a few days ago, and you can't choose to send it from the other account rater the Gmail. What do you mean on ''you can still send emails from those accounts as well rather than a forward''?

 

[J515OP]

I think you'll find that IMAP is a better solution for mobile mail. Most phones do IMAP pretty automatically and it will save you headaches if you are using that account on another system. My primary mail address is hosted by one of the few systems that has no IMAP option, wouldn't you know it!

Frankly I am sort of shocked to see all of the frustration with trying to stay with POP3. It is sort of an antiquated way of using email. Now I understand where there is no option other than POP3 but I would think those are few and far between these days. It seems it is mainly people tied to an ISP email.

Honestly, get yourself a nice Hotmail or Gmail account and kiss those ISP emails goodbye. First of all you only have it as long as you have service with the ISP. I had the following happen to me when using an ISP email, service was with one ISP who merged with another and forced me to change my email and user account name. Couldn't use my preferred name because the system said it was already in use (by me under the old account they were making me get rid of), this ISP then pulled out of the area and another moved in. The accounts were rolled over to the new ISP and guess what a new email again. So that was 3 emails in about two years without choice. Very annoying.

On the other hand if you have Hotmail/Livemail or Gmail (or better yet both) you have permanent address that you never have to change or lose. Not to mention they are always pushing the services forward unlike ISP based email which is an after thought of your account. On top of having a permanent email address that keeps up with technological changes in email you get an ecosystem to go with it. MS now integrates with Win8,WinRT and WP, gives you access to Skydrive and numerous other benefits. Same with Gmail, contacts, calendars, docs and apps that are tied to your account and go with you. If you are stuck with an ISP POP3 as your primary account go ahead and make the leap to at least one of the alternative emails. You may have many contacts that are use to that email address but it is a one time change and has far more benefits than drawbacks.

 

[leeshor]

JP

You're right, BUT, I have more mail accounts than I care to think about for various reasons having to do with the business I'm in. They include Hotmail, 2 G-Mail, Yahoo and some other major providers. 5 of my primary accounts, (not in that list), are all funneled to the ISP that does not do IMAP for the reason that they have the best SPAM control I've seen anywhere. On an average day they filter as many as 400 SPAM messages that I never see on my system, (nearly zero false positives), and it has risen to 5,000+ due to some strange circumstances I won't go into here.

But I totally agree that IMAP is the way to go. I have, for a long time, worked around the usual issues created by using POP mail, particularly on mobile devices, and at least it works, for me!

 

[galeman]

In my case is the email that is used on yhe company and I cant do anything to change it. But honnestly that os so basic that Microsoft defenetly should have it.

 

[guitar1969]

Good to hear that it will be fixed, but how trusted is the contact? About the Gmail, I tried it a few days ago, and you can't choose to send it from the other account rater the Gmail. What do you mean on ''you can still send emails from those accounts as well rather than a forward''?

Well on the official surface forum an MS technician has ben PMing me and I have been sending him specific files from my surface to assist them. He says they are working on a fix.

 

[bosamar]

OP here... I'm on older Phart and kinda mis-spoke earlier. My email accounts are via my web host which I've had since circa 2000. I've had the same email account since then. Since reading these replys I've reconfigured my WinPhone 7 email to IMAP; it seems much better between my platforms. I also went to the MS store in San Diego and played with the Surface RT again. Impressed as i am I plan to buy two for Christmas w/type keyboards.

IMO I'm thinking MS is going full tilt to perfect RT. It's only going to get better from initial release and I'm on board with that.