Frequently Asked Question

If you're using POP3 for your email and you delete messages from your phone, they might still be in your account when you access it from a computer or some other device. You can stop this from happening by changing the settings associated with that account.

Unlike IMAP, which lets you delete messages from your account no matter where you're logged in at, POP only lets you download those messages. To delete them, you have to either manually go through them again from a computer or make a change in the settings that alters them automatically.

Note: These instructions apply to GMail accounts specifically, but similar steps can be taken for Outlook, Yahoo, and other email providers.

Delete Mail From POP Servers

To stop seeing mail you've already deleted from your phone, do the following:

Tip: To jump ahead, open this link and then continue with Step 4.

1. From your Gmail account, choose the gear settings icon to the right, above your mail.
2. Click or tap Settings.
3. Open the Accounts and Imports tab.
4. Go into the Check mail from other accounts section.
5. Select "edit info" for the desired account.
6. In the pop-up window make sure the option "Leave a copy of retrieved message on the server." is NOT checked.
7. Select Save Changes and you are done!

You will no longer need to access your email account to clear out email you already have saved in your gmail account!