IMAP has some advantages over POP: IMAP synchronizes the entire mailbox, while POP only transfers new emails to the client. If a message is read or deleted on one device, these changes are not passed on to other devices when using POP. This is something that only IMAP can do.
Add GMX mailbox on iPhone using IMAP
If you want to mount your GMX mailbox in the Mail app of iOS, it will be connected via POP by default. However, it is possible to synchronize the mailbox via IMAP anyway. Alternatively, you can simply use the GMX app. However, many prefer to use Apple’s Mail app.
1. First, make sure that IMAP and POP are enabled in your GMX account. In the linked instructions you will find how to enable IMAP and POP on GMX.
If you already have your GMX mailbox mounted in the Mail app, you can skip this step.
2. Then open the settings on your iPhone and select “Mail“.
Then click on “Accounts“, then on “Add Account“. Press “Other” and then “Add Mail Account” again.
3. Enter your credentials here. The only important thing is that you have to enter a wrong password (yes, really). If you have already connected a GMX account, you should give the new account a unique name (e.g. “GMX IMAP”). Then click on “Next” in the upper right corner..
4. Now an error message appears, because a wrong password was entered. Click “OK” here to display the advanced settings.
Click on “IMAP” at the top. After that you have to change the settings of the “incoming mail server”: Set the hostname to “imap.gmx.net” – as shown in the screenshot. The outgoing mail server’s settings should be correct.
Then, fill in your current password – in the incoming, was well as in the outgoing mail server’s settings.
5. Finally, click “Next” in the upper right corner and then hit “Save“.
Now you should see the new mail account in the app. If you are sure that all important data is there, you can delete the old POP account via the settings.
