Which device can synchronize with the personal information management on your computer

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Q. How do I efficiently manage my email with three devices: computer, phone and tablet? Do I have to read, save, delete email three times, or can I easily sync them?

A. Most mail programs give you the choice of two ways to set up an account on a computer or mobile device — either with the IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) standard or POP (Post Office Protocol). If you want to keep your mailbox in sync across multiple devices, choose the IMAP method.

Most modern mail services now use the IMAP standard. If you have to configure an account from a smaller provider, choose IMAP to check messages on more than one device.Credit...The New York Times

Compared with POP, IMAP is a newer technology for managing messages and handles checking the same mail account on multiple devices much more smoothly. With IMAP, even though you can see your mailbox in the mail program on your computer and devices, IMAP messages actually live on the mail server. When you read, delete or flag a message, you are performing that action on the mail server. The mail apps on your other devices see the change when you view the updated mailbox.

In contrast, most POP mail systems in their default settings download messages directly to the device that checks in at the time, and then deletes those messages from the mail server. When you check mail with your computer or other gadgets, those devices do not get the deleted messages, but they may download newer ones — which then get deleted from the server, making your mailboxes out of sync.

As a workaround, some mail providers allow you to keep messages on the server without deleting them automatically after they download, but then you have to repeatedly delete a message on each device. Additionally, the messages you send stay on the Sent mailbox of the computer or device that actually did the sending.

Most modern mail providers and programs support IMAP You can find instructions for setting up IMAP mail accounts for Google’s Gmail, Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla’s Thunderbird program on their sites. Apple’s iCloud mail does not support POP and uses IMAP by default.

Syncing means transferring items and keeping them up to date between your Mac and your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. For example, when you add a movie to your Mac, you can sync so that the movie appears on both your Mac and iPhone. You can sync items including music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, and more.

When you connect an iPhone or iPad to your Mac using a USB or USB-C cable, the device appears in the Finder sidebar. When you select the device in the sidebar, the Finder window displays options for managing your device software and syncing items with your Mac.

You use the button bar across the top of the window to turn on syncing for each type of content, such as music, movies, or TV shows.

Click the General in the button bar to manage the software and data on your device. For example, you can:

Check for the latest software for your iPhone or iPad and update it.
Backup the data on your device onto your Mac or to iCloud.
Restore the data on your device from a backup and manage multiple backups if you need them.

If you have iPod classic, iPod nano, or iPod shuffle: You have to sync your device with your Mac. There’s no other way to add content to it.

If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: You only need to sync with your Mac when you have new or updated content.

If you prefer not to sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you don’t have to. You can download items from the iTunes Store, the App Store, Apple Books, and other Apple services directly to your devices. You can also use iCloud to keep items up to date across your devices.

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You use the button bar across the top of the window to turn on syncing for each type of content, such as music, movies, or TV shows.

Click the General in the button bar to manage the software and data on your device. For example, you can:

Check for the latest software for your iPhone or iPad and update it.
Backup the data on your device onto your Mac or to iCloud.
Restore the data on your device from a backup and manage multiple backups if you need them.

If you have iPod classic, iPod nano, or iPod shuffle: You have to sync your device with your Mac. There’s no other way to add content to it.

If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: You only need to sync with your Mac when you have new or updated content.

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Syncing means updating and transferring items between your Mac and an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Syncing allows you to keep the same items up to date on your Mac and a device. For example, when you add a movie to your Mac, you can sync so that both the Mac and your iPhone have the movie. You can sync items including music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, and more.

You use the button bar across the top of the window to turn on syncing for each type of content, such as music, movies, or TV shows.

Select the General button in the bar to manage the software and data on your device. For example, you can:

Check for the latest software for your iPhone or iPad and update it.
Backup the data on your device onto your Mac or to iCloud.
Restore the data on your device from a backup and manage multiple backups if you need them.

Use iCloud to transfer files: When you use iCloud, files transfer automatically and effortlessly between your Mac and iPhone or iPad. For example, when you use iCloud Photos and take a picture on your iPhone, the picture soon appears on your Mac and other devices. With iCloud turned on, your Mac and iPhone or iPad are continuously updated as content changes—and you don’t have to do a thing. For more information, see What is iCloud?

Use syncing to manage the files on your device: Syncing allows you to update your device to the latest iOS or iPadOS software, back up your device data safely to your Mac or iCloud, and, if you need to, use a backup to restore information on your device.

Syncing also provides great control over what content is transferred to your device. You can sync all or only a selection of specific files. For example, when you go on a trip, you can sync a selection of audiobooks to your iPhone to listen to while traveling. With syncing, you can easily transfer just the files you want.

Note: When you use iCloud to update items such as music or photos across your devices, syncing is turned off for those items in the Finder syncing options. You can turn on Finder syncing for those items by turning off iCloud for the related app.

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You use the button bar across the top of the window to turn on syncing for each type of content, such as music, movies, or TV shows.

Select the General button in the bar to manage the software and data on your device. For example, you can:

Check for the latest software for your iPhone or iPad and update it.
Backup the data on your device onto your Mac or to iCloud.
Restore the data on your device from a backup and manage multiple backups if you need them.