Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Synching between Outlook on tablet and laptop

Aug 14, 2014 2:33AM PDT

I'm not sure if I'm on the correct forum, but here goes. I use Outlook 2013 on my laptop (Windows 7) and also on my Windows Surface tablet (Windows 8.1). Can I sync the two accounts so that if I read and reply to emails on one device it will be the same on the other? Also does anybody know why the Junk option on the ribbon is greyed out on the tablet?
One last question, which seems daft, is I can't fathom how to highlight a list on the tablet. On a laptop I would hold down the shift key and then use the down arrow, such as if I want to delete a load of emails.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Not yet.
Aug 14, 2014 2:43AM PDT

While we have options like "leave on server" and IMAP email servers there is not one grand correct answer here. Only a dozen methods that one gets to pick and choose which ever works for us. This is partly why many have moved to Web based email. That way it's always in sync.

I didn't offer any apps to do this sync because I'm sure you can find such.

There are also tomes about sync so I wonder if you read a few and came back with "why haven't they solved this yet so that everyone doesn't ask?"

As to multi-select https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_lmPHHy4hQ shows it may be up to the app. Me? I use a mouse+keyboard. i.e. that Microsoft keyboard+cover. http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/select-multiple-items-with-a-fingertip-on-your-win.html writes "You can also lasso items using your finger or stylus. Draw a rectangle around your desired items, and Windows selects them for you.

After fiddling around with your fingers on the desktop for a few minutes, you'll see why a mouse or stylus can be invaluable for precision desktop operations."
Bob

- Collapse -
Answer
Emails don't really sync between devices
Aug 14, 2014 10:27PM PDT

basically they sync to the mail server if a pop account.

Basically you have a mail server the is set up for imapi (Yahoo, Outlook.com, Hotmail and AOL) or a pop server usually for consumers some businesses might also have Microsoft Exchange. The difference between pop and Imapi accounts are that a pop account emails are downloaded by a client onto a specific devices. Like Bob says pop account have an option to leave mail on server, If that is checked all device that run the email client will download the emails. To remove the emails you have to login to your internet providers with you account and remove the emails otherwise they have a quota and you would go over. Also usually the emails are smart enough to know not to download the same email to the same device twice. Although there are times when your provider is working on the server and it does happen. Some mail client may have a settting to check for mail say every hour. Imapi accounts the emails don't get downloaded to you device instead you view the emails through your client on the email server. If you delete them there they are gone and you won't see them on another device.

- Collapse -
(NT) Just FYI: It's IMAP or IMAP4
Aug 14, 2014 11:52PM PDT
- Collapse -
(NT) Thanks
Aug 15, 2014 12:34AM PDT
- Collapse -
Thanks for that.
Aug 15, 2014 12:40AM PDT

Email, that is, POP,IMAP and such today is in need of a revamp. That's in the discussions out there along with security of said email. For now all these are open to be read by the email carriers. But beyond the sync spaghetti maze any notion of secure email was laid to rest with the LAVABIT story. That is, we may not see a viable solution anytime soon.
Bob