TestOut LabSim A+ Certification 2026 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The protocol that email clients generally use to download messages from a remote mail server is POP3, which stands for Post Office Protocol version 3. POP3 is designed specifically to retrieve emails from a server, allowing clients to download messages for offline access. Once messages are downloaded using POP3, they are typically deleted from the server, although some configurations may allow for messages to remain on the server for a specified duration.

In contrast, IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) also facilitates email retrieval but operates differently by allowing users to access and manage their email directly on the server without necessarily downloading it. With IMAP, changes made on one device, such as reading or deleting an email, are reflected across all devices.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is a protocol used for sending emails rather than downloading them, making it relevant for the sending side of email communication.

SSH (Secure Shell) is used for secure remote access and management of networked devices and is not involved in email transmission or retrieval.

Thus, for downloading messages specifically from a remote mail server, POP3 stands out as the correct protocol choice.