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Thunderbird 31.2 sends my drafts to trash as junk and not to my drafts folder

  • 14 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by pheczko

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When I save a message that I am composing as a draft, it no longer goes into the draft folder. It goes to the trash folder and is marked as junk. Now I have go to the trash folder and unmark it as junk, then manually move it to my draft folder.

In addition, every message I send gets posted to the sent folder, AND to the trash folder, marked as junk.

Why is this happening and what can we do to fix this? I sent a similar message a week ago but have not yet received a reply. Please answer

Thank you

When I save a message that I am composing as a draft, it no longer goes into the draft folder. It goes to the trash folder and is marked as junk. Now I have go to the trash folder and unmark it as junk, then manually move it to my draft folder. In addition, every message I send gets posted to the sent folder, AND to the trash folder, marked as junk. Why is this happening and what can we do to fix this? I sent a similar message a week ago but have not yet received a reply. Please answer Thank you

Chosen solution

Thank you again for your help. I think the problem might have been with McAfee Total Protection. I off loaded it and installed a completely different anti virus software and the problem seems to have gone away.

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All Replies (14)

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check your settings: Tools > Account Settings > Copies & Folders for the mail account or Menu Icon > options > Account Settings > Copies & Folders for the mail account

Drafts & Templates Keep message drafts in If Pop: select 'Drafts folder on mail account

If IMAP: select: 'Other' and Drafts folder on imap mail account

click on Ok to save changes.

what did you have as settings? did you need to make any changes?

It is normal on many Imap mail accounts, after sending email, a copy is placed in Sent folder and any drafts saved in the process of creating that email are deleted from Drafts and thus end up in Trash. So this would explain why a Sent email draft message will end up in Trash.

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Thank you for your response. However, when I go to Tools > Account Settings > Copies & Folders for the mail account, and then Drafts & Templates Keep message drafts in If Pop: select 'Drafts folder on mail account, I don't have the option of 'select 'Drafts folder on mail account'. The only option is 'Keep in Local Folders'. I am using POP.

But, you didn't indicate why these are marked as Junk.

Thank you

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I understand you are using Pop mail account setup to use a Global Inbox. So: select 'Drafts folder on' and 'Local Folders'.


Check Junk Settings: Tools > Account Settings > Junk Settings for mail account select 'enable adaptive junk mail controls for this account Make sure address books are selected.

Destination & Retention Select: Move new junk messages to select: 'Junk folder on' and 'Local Folders'

Confirm you have these settings

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Yes, the settings are (and always have been) as you suggested.

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Yes, the settings are (and always have been) as you suggested.

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Check preferences.

Tools > Options > Advanced > General tab click on 'Config Editor' button it will tell you to be careful :)

In top search type: draft_folder You are looking for lines like this: mail.identity.idX.draft_folder; mailbox://nobody@Local%20Folders/Drafts where the idX = eg: id2 the X = a number. To check which idX = which pop mail account mail.identity.idX.useremail; email address of account

Please confirm: 'mail.identity.idX.draft_folder' for your pop mail account has a Value that = mailbox://nobody@Local%20Folders/Drafts


When you are creating an email and a draft copy is created either manually or auto during the composing, when you send that message, the copy in the Drafts folder will be deleted. But usually in Pop mail accounts, it is deleted but not put in Trash/Deleted folder because there is a copy in Sent. You would see 'deleted 1 message from Drafts' entry in the 'Activity Manager'.

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All settings are as you list. Meanwhile, my drafts still go to the trash folder and are marked as junk.

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All settings are as you list. Meanwhile, my drafts still go to the trash folder and are marked as junk.

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Question owner

All settings are as you list. Meanwhile, my drafts and copies of sent mail still go to the trash folder and are marked as junk.

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Does your anti virus program come with a spam tool? If so turn it off and see if that helps.

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Thanks for responding. I turned off my McAfee spam but no change. Drafts do not go into draft folder, they go to trash and are marked as junk.

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Tools > Options > Security > Junk tab Select : When I mark messages as Junk Select: Move them to the accounts 'Junk' Folder. Click on OK to save any changes.

Confirm : what setting did you have ?


When a draft is marked as Junk and moved to Trash. Is there any mention of the word 'SPAM' inserted into the Subject ?


Did this Drafts saving as junk in trash occur immediately after upgrading to version 31.2.0 ? If yes, first try a new fresh install to rule out this.

From computer Control Panel > Programs and Features. Select Mozilla Thunderbird and click on 'uninstall' Then download fresh version from here:

Program folders are not stored in the same location as Thunderbird Profiles, so should not effect your Profile, but it always a good idea to have a backup.


Test : did a draft email get saved correctly? If no, then do the following section.


Check all works ok if using own set of folders.

To prevent any downloading: Click on the Two blue screen icon located bottom left of Status Bar, it will change to two black screen icon = offline.

then change options: Tools > Options > Advanced > 'Network & Disc Space' tab

  • Click on 'Offline' button
  • Select: Ask me for online state at startup'
  • click on Ok
  • Click on OK to asve and close Options

Change Pop Global to POP own set of folders. Tools > Account Settings > Server Settings for pop mail account

  • click on 'Advanced' button
  • Select : Inbox for this server's account
  • click on OK
  • Click on OK to save and close Account Settings.

Restart Thunderbird and remember to select to start offline.

The Folder Pane will show a new set of folders for the pop mail account. Check the Account Settings > Copies & Folders for pop mail account make sure you have these setting: Drafts' folder is saving to Drafts folder on mail account. (All the options should say saved to relevant folder on mail account)

Test: Click on 'Write' Compose short test message type Test Draft in Subject and Save as 'Draft' What happened ?

Now go back into Account Settings and change 'Drafts' folder to save to 'Drafts' folder on 'Local Folder' click on OK to save changes.

RE-test create Draft message and save as draft. Did it save to the draft folder in Local Folders?

Please report back on results:

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My Junk settings are as you described, and the drafts that go to TRASH and marked as JUNK do not have "spam" in the subject line.

I would rather not uninstall TBird as I have extensions and plug-ins that I don't want to lose. Plus, I sync my TBird calendar with Google Calendar using Silverlight. It took me a while to figure out how to do this and not am dependent on it.

So, I guess I'll quit complaining and just deal with the drafts going to my TRASH marked as JUNK, and a copy of my sent mail going to my TRASH also marked as JUNK.

Thank you for your help.

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Chosen Solution

Thank you again for your help. I think the problem might have been with McAfee Total Protection. I off loaded it and installed a completely different anti virus software and the problem seems to have gone away.