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Connecting Exchange Server to a POP3 Account

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› Exchange Server › Connecting Exchange Server to a POP3 Account

Last reviewed on April 8, 2025     6 Comments

Downloading mail from a POP account into Exchange Server in general is not a supported configuration (though you wouldn't know it from the proliferation of tools to accomplish this). However, Microsoft does provide an Exchange Connector for POP3 Mailboxes for Small Business Server, having licensed Internet Mailbridge from Acotec. It's still not a supported configuration for full Exchange Server.

I'd suggest that you read about both sides of this issue. If you decide to try this route, there are plenty of tools to choose from. Features common to all POP3 collectors include the ability to POP mail from multiple servers and from multiple mailboxes. You'll also be able to control how often it checks for new mail in the POP3 accounts and limit it to downloading new mail during specific hours, such as only during business hours. All of the commercial POP3 connectors should be able to deliver mail to any SMTP address, including mail-enabled Public Folders.

Many of these tools support these forms of POP3 collection:

  • One-to-one, which collects mail from a single POP3 mailbox and sends it to a specific SMTP address
  • Many-to-one, which collects mail from multiple POP3 mailboxes and sends it to single SMTP address
  • One-to-many, which collects mail from single 'catch-all' POP3 mailbox and sends it to multiple SMTP addresses

Note that the one-to-many collection method fails when messages are BCC'd to users.

 

Tools

Exchange Connector

Exchange Connector allows you to integrate your existing POP3 mailboxes with Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 or 2003 by downloading mail from POP3 mailboxes and delivering the messages to your Exchange Server accounts. Exchange connector runs in the background as a Windows Service and can be configured to download only during specified hours, such as between 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday and includes a "Download Mail Now" button for immediate downloads. Support for APOP (enhanced POP3 security), archiving, and SQL Server logging. Version 3.3.3

eXchange POP3

An email gateway (connector) that retrieves messages from Internet POP3 email accounts (IMAP also supported) and delivers them to Exchange Server mailboxes. Supports single and multiple user POP3 accounts, unlimited POP3 accounts, unlimited ISPs and SMTP authentication when sending to Internet. Version 5

Fetchmail

Fetchmail can be used to collect mail from POP3 mailboxes and deliver it to Exchange server. It's one of the applications found Unixmail for Windows, a package of unix mail tools ported to MS Windows (Win32), and bundled together with an installer. In addition to fetchmail, the bundle includes mutt, aspell/pspell, sSMTP, and GnuPG.

GFI MailEssentials for Exchange

Anti-spam, disclaimers (with variables), archiving Internet mail, Internet mail usage reports. Includes a POP downloader and personalized server-based autoreplies that can include attachments and tracking numbers. Can archive to an ODBC database. Current version includes Overall improved anti-spam technology, an additional anti-spam engine called SpamRazer along with improved performance and a real-time dashboard. GFI MailEssentials now supports GFI Directory, enabling administrators to manage users just like they would with Active Directory when installed in a DMZ.

Hexamail POP3 Downloader

POP3 Downloader is a high performance and scalable real-time POP3 connector for Exchange. It can download and forward any POP3 or IMAP account email to Exchange. 1 Minute schedule SSL Support IMAP support (with configurable folders). Supports all Exchange versions.

IGetMail

IGetMail is a POP3 connector that downloads email from remote POP3 servers (Gmail, Yahoo, etc) and third-party hosted domains to your local Exchange Server. Runs as a multi-threaded Windows Service. Supports unlimited number of POP3 individual and catchall email accounts. Checks for email as fast as every 20 seconds according to a frequency schedule you define. Archives the email and delivers downloaded emails to any version of Exchange Server using the SMTP protocol. Supports SSL. UI shows real-time status of email.

MAPILab POP3 Connector for Exchange 2013, 2010, 2007

MAPILab POP3 Connector enables various companies to solve an actual problem of downloading mail from external POP3 servers and its delivering to recipients located on Microsoft Exchange Server 2013, 2010, 2007 in the most effective and simple way. Using an external server which downloads mail allows you to limit access to Microsoft Exchange Server from the internet.

Native POP3 Connector

Native POP3 Connector installs as a connector to Exchange and is configured using Exchange System Manager. It supports a large number of mailboxes (each one may be catchall accounts), multi-threading processing, flexible scheduling of POP3-mailbox querying, and integrates with the Active Directory. Supports Microsoft Exchange Server 2000/2003 and Small Business Server 2000/2003.

Pop Collector

POP collector to download POP3 mails and forward to Exchange. Automatically installs as service on Windows 2003. Supports SMTP server for each POP account and SMTP AUTH. Improved Service support. Logging is configurable. Now supports POP over SSL. Freeware.

POP2Exchange

Supports mail forwarding without attachments (i.e. for SMS messages), dial up (RAS) connections and checks all inbound mails with a standard virus checker i.e. Norton Antivirus. Works with every version of Exchange Server including Small Business Server, 2000 and 2003, dial-up, dial-up routers, ADSL and leased-line connections to the Internet. Supports any SMTP server -- Exchange, Lotus Notes and Novell GroupWise and proxy servers that support the SOCKS protocol such as WinGate or MS Proxy.

Pop3Connector

Pop3Connector is designed to download mails from an unlimited number of POP3 mailboxes and relay them to any SMTP server, for instance Exchange Server, GMail, or any other mail server using the SMTP protocol. Works with any Exchange or SMTP server, allows unlimited users, supports SSL.

POPWeasel

A command line utility to add POP3 mail collection to most SMTP mail servers. Easy to configure with multiple POP accounts to collect from, once started the POPWeasel collects mail from each account, reads the mail headers and routes the mail to your mail server for distribution to your users.

PYTHEAS MailGate

POP3 connector including spam filtering with SpamAssassin, interface for virus scanners, content-checking, outgoing mail handling and more. Works with all Microsoft Exchange versions.

SmartPOP2Exchange

SmartPOP2Exchange works in the background and downloads all messages from various POP3 accounts and forwards them to your SMTP/Exchange server. The configuration tool allows you to adjust common options, like download interval, timeout, log file etc. and to add, delete or configure your SMTP/Exchange and POP3 accounts. An included spam filter allows to tag or to delete mails that have been identified as spam by SpamAssassin. SmartPOP2Exchange also supports rules which allow you to define additional actions for certain messages. Version 4.3

More Information

If you use SBS2003's POP3 connector, see Many unexpected outbound e-mail messages appear in the SMTP queue in Small Business Server 2003 and install the patch before enabling the connector.

Connecting Exchange Server to a POP3 Account was last modified: April 8th, 2025 by Diane Poremsky

Related Posts:

  • Exchange Server and SMTP Servers
  • How to Restore Mail to the Mail Server
  • Exchange Server and Secondary Email Addresses
  • When you have an Exchange Server account in Small Business Server 2003
    Exchange Account Gets Set as the Default Account

About Diane Poremsky

A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999, Diane is the author of several books, including Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginners Book. She also created video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.

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David (@guest_220875)
January 22, 2024 6:55 pm
#220875

We use QSS Exchange Connector which support Exchange 2019 and TLS 1.2.

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David (@guest_220874)
January 22, 2024 6:53 pm
#220874

We use QSS Exchange Connector which supports Exchange 2019 and TLS 1.2.

Last edited 1 year ago by David
0
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Gary (@guest_213075)
April 9, 2019 4:33 am
#213075

We use Hexamail - it now supports Exchange 2019 as well!

0
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Krish (@guest_206272)
May 5, 2017 10:51 am
#206272

Hello Diane,
Thanks for your post. Can you please suggest the software where i can export
bulk pop3 account to PST? or Is it possible via VBA?

Please advise.

Thanks & Regards,
Krish

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Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  Krish
May 5, 2017 10:08 pm
#206399

I probably need more information about what you need to do because if the mail is in outlook, you can export it to a pst right in outlook.

0
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Jakob Medara (@guest_180911)
December 18, 2013 8:22 am
#180911

Hi,
very nice list, thanks! I used GFI POP2Exchange but now I'm forced to use another software. Many German providers will force SSL client connections in 2014 and, sadly, GFI does not support SSL for POP3.
I switched to SmartPOP2Exchange from JAM Software instead.

1
0
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