Sync your inbox across devices instantly and automatically with FREE Gmail IMAP

IMAP is the best way to access your email from multiple devices (e.g. phone or desktop). It keeps the same information synced across all devices so that whatever you do in one place shows up everywhere else you might access your email.

For example, I can:

• Read an email in Gmail, then
• Move it to the "Starred" folder on my iPhone, then
• Archive it by moving it to "All Mail" in Thunderbird, then
• See all of those changes on my Blackberry (or any of the above devices for that matter).
  

Gmail is already offering a POP service which is similar to IMAP but lacks one critical feature: your changes made on other devices aren't seen in Gmail when you log back in. Instead you are presented with a list of unread mail, and you must re-read and re-sort everything. As a solution, Gmail is now offering FREE IMAP service.

As this feature rolls out over the next couple of days, you will be able to use Gmail at work, in your car, or just about anywhere on any device, and actions you take will be automatically synced with Gmail on the web (and remember it works the other way too: anything you do on the Web will be seen on your phone or in your mail client). Just click the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab in your Gmail "Settings" and turn it on.

Psst. If you don't see the "IMAP" in the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab, then check back soon.

Details on setting IMAP for various devices.