Help Need giudance on email syncing and server operation

[Bill Malone]

I just purchased a Galaxy Note 7 and a JV 3 phone. Previously I had apples iPhones. I have a Comcast account which handles my email. I have several computers which log into it, and two are set up to leave the message on the server while the third is the main one. When I download messages from the server, it removes them from the Comcast server.

My iPhones used to work the same way. Unfortunately, with these Androids, when I delete a message on the phone, either phone, it removes it from the server. This is a problem - a big problem. I want to download the messages to the Galaxys, but leave copies on the Comcast server. Should I delete an email on the phone, I do not want it syncing with the server and deleting it there also. They should only be removed when the main computer does it.

How can I configure these phones to download from the Comcast server, yet leave copies there, even if I should delete a message on the phone?

thank you for any help you can give me.

 

[svim]

Offhand it sounds like you've got your email apps setup to use POP when you should be using IMAP instead.http://www.pop2imap.com/
I'm also assuming you're using the default email apps on both your Note and JV, yes?

Well either way, your best option would be to switch to a third-party email app, just about all of them have more features and allow you more extensive control over your email access. As an example, in my email app, K-9 Mail, in its Settings there are options like 'Sync server deletions' or 'Erase deleted messages on server - Immediately - When polling - Manually' and others that pertain to your specific reference to leaving emails as is on Comcast's mail servers. While I prefer K-9 Mail, this forum has a lot of advocates for AquaMail, and if you look around on Google Play you'll find there are plenty of viable options. Android's default email app is fine for very basic needs but once you need more it's time to migrate to a more robust email client.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fsck.k9&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.kman.AquaMail&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=email+apps&c=apps&rating=1
Take a look at the screen captures and find one that you feel most comfortable with. As far as feature sets they are all more or less offering you the same things, the biggest differentiation being appearance and user interaction.

When you've made a choice, go into the Settings >> Application manager on your phones, find the default email app, tap the 'Force stop' button, tap on the 'Delete data' button, and since it's a system app you won't be able to delete it but if possible the 'Turn off' button might be highlighted. This will clear the default email app.
Now install whichever email app you've chosen from Google Play. When you start it up, here's the set up info for Comcast email:
https://customer.xfinity.com/help-and-support/internet/email-client-programs-with-xfinity-email/
Be sure to dig into the Settings of your email app and disable whatever option(s) to delete messages off the server. You just want the email app on your phones to be simple remote access, letting your computer being the main control point for your email service.

 

[Bill Malone]

Thank you for the quick and comprehensive answer. In answer to your question - I am using Imap settings on my phone. I looked at my buddy's phone, it's the previous model prior to the Note - don't remember the name, but he has an option which says "leave a copy on server". I cannot find that option anywhere on mine. Could they have done away with it in this version? That would be terrible! Is there anything else you can think of or should I just download a third party email app? Which do you suggest as the most comprehensive? the ones detailed above?

Again thank you for the help. I'm learning a lot.

 

[svim]

I'll just restate what I wrote before, stop using the default email app, install one of the more functional third-party options (just my preference, K-9 Mail), configure it to your Comcast service, and be sure to go into the app's Settings and disable any sync and/or delete on server options.