Reconfigure, and email will sync fine

Q: When I delete an email from my phone, I still see the message in my email program on my computer. Is there a way to make the message delete from my PC when I delete it from my phone?

A: For most email users, when your computer connects to your mail server it downloads all of your new messages to your hard drive. That means that even if you delete the message from your phone, your computer still has a copy saved.

If you want to make it so that when a message is deleted from one system it is removed from all systems, you would have to configure your computer email application to connect using the Internet Message Access Protocol, also known as IMAP, rather than the more standard Post Office Protocol, or POP, configuration.

When email is configured using IMAP, your email applications will review what is on the server, and if any messages are deleted using your iPhone, the changes will be registered on the computer. It will also register messages that have been marked as read if you have viewed them on another device.

Most providers offer IMAP as a configuration option. Consult your provider’s support services for the settings you will need if you choose to switch from POP.

Keep in mind that this does not apply to webbased email. If you are using something like Gmail from gmail.com or Yahoo from yahoo.com, all of your changes will be synchronized between mobile devices and your computer.

This is only applicable if you are using a dedicated email client such as Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird. If you are accessing your email via a web interface, all changes to your email are made in real time and visible on any device.