This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Hierdie gesprek is in die argief. Vra asseblief 'n nuwe vraag as jy hulp nodig het.

Change order of downloading new messages?

  • 3 antwoorde
  • 3 hierdie probleem
  • 7 views
  • Laaste antwoord deur Tonnes

will139
will139
more options

Is it possible to change the order Thunderbird downloads new emails? At the moment the oldest messages are downloaded first, but I'd like it to work it's way backwards, downloading the most recent first. When I start the program to see a specific email I know should have just come in, and have several hundred older emails to download first from the previous couple of days, it's a little annoying!

Thanks in advance.

Is it possible to change the order Thunderbird downloads new emails? At the moment the oldest messages are downloaded first, but I'd like it to work it's way backwards, downloading the most recent first. When I start the program to see a specific email I know should have just come in, and have several hundred older emails to download first from the previous couple of days, it's a little annoying! Thanks in advance.

All Replies (3)

Matt
Matt
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

The short answer is no.

will139
will139 Vraag-eienaar
more options

Ok, thanks anyway!

Tonnes
Tonnes
  • Locale Leader
more options

If speed is an issue, you could work around the wait time by setting Thunderbird to fetch headers only, while you’ll be able to get the full message afterwards.

For POP servers: Tools/Edit > Account Settings > Server Settings > Fetch headers only

Headers will be downloaded immediately and faster, and when done, you can click the newest message (either in top or bottom of the list, as preferred for the view) which will be downloaded by clicking a link below the header.

For IMAP servers: Tools/Edit > Account Settings > Synchronization & Storage

IMAP offers more options for limiting downloads / synchronization by age or size. Others would need a click to get downloaded. See here for more info.

I think by default, POP messages or headers are always downloaded in order of date/time received (either headers or full messages); IMAP may prefer the Inbox, but I’m not sure. Although it would be technically possible to change the order of retrieving each message or just header, I’m not aware of any add-on for either protocol that does.