This article describes the different synchronization modes for Webmailer folders and their matching with mail server folders. For IMAP accounts, a specific mode can be selected for each folder, while POP3 only allows synchronization of the inbox. The modes include "Direct Mode," where no data is stored in Webmailer; "All Headers," where only headers are stored; "All Messages," where complete messages are downloaded and stored; and "Do Not Synchronize," where no synchronization takes place but filters can be used.
The synchronization mode (sync modes) determines how the Webmailer folders are synchronized with the folders on the mail server. You can find the settings under:
Settings - Email Accounts - Edit Folder
For an IMAP account, a specific sync mode can be set for each folder.
For POP3 accounts, a sync mode can only be defined for the inbox, since the POP3 protocol only supports synchronization with the inbox. All other folders in POP3 accounts therefore exist only in the Webmailer’s memory and not on the mail server.
The different modes:
Direct Mode
With the “Direct Mode,” Webmailer accesses the folder directly on the mail server and does not save either headers or message content in Webmailer. Advanced options such as searching, sorting, or filtering cannot be applied in this mode because these options require data to be stored in Webmailer. This limitation is due to the functional scope of POP3 and IMAP, which is smaller than that of Webmailer.
All Headers
Webmailer downloads all message headers when “Retrieve Mails” is pressed and saves them. The headers can then be used for the message list, search and sort functions, and filters. The messages and their attachments can be retrieved and viewed, but they are not saved.
All Messages
By pressing “Retrieve Mails,” Webmailer fully downloads all messages and saves them. All options such as searching, filtering, etc., operate on the entire content of the messages. Webmailer does not download messages again from the mail server that have already been retrieved.
Do Not Synchronize
The folders are not synchronized with the mail server, and no messages are saved in the Webmailer folder. However, filters can still be set up to save emails from synchronized folders into the folder configured as “Do Not Synchronize.”