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.

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

Can't delete Emails in one account.

  • 5 replies
  • 12 have this problem
  • 13 views
  • Last reply by user1325544

more options

I use Thunderbird for two accounts, personal and business. I can delete Emails find from the personal. I can delete folders and move folders and emails fine from the business to the personal. But I can't delete individual Emails from my business account, with delete key, right-clicking, nothing. However, if I move them from my business to my personal, they delete.

Troubleshooting steps I have taken (and unsuccessful): - Restarted computer. - Uninstalled/reinstalled Thunderbird. - Rolled back to older Thunderbird version. - Started without my extensions (only have Calendar). - Restored older backup. - File deletion trick (where you go into %appdata%, navigate to the Thunderbird folder and delete the trash file).

Interestingly, my computer would let me delete the Trash and Trash.msf files EXCEPT in the folder for my business account. The .msf file there went without a fuss, but the Trash file kept asking for admin permission and wouldn't delete. (I'm the only account on my computer.)

I had this problem before and fiddled with it long enough to find a solution, but I can't remember what I did. Any assistance is appreciated. I'm moving the Email files over to my personal until I can find a solution.

I use Thunderbird for two accounts, personal and business. I can delete Emails find from the personal. I can delete folders and move folders and emails fine from the business to the personal. But I can't delete individual Emails from my business account, with delete key, right-clicking, nothing. However, if I move them from my business to my personal, they delete. Troubleshooting steps I have taken (and unsuccessful): - Restarted computer. - Uninstalled/reinstalled Thunderbird. - Rolled back to older Thunderbird version. - Started without my extensions (only have Calendar). - Restored older backup. - File deletion trick (where you go into %appdata%, navigate to the Thunderbird folder and delete the trash file). Interestingly, my computer would let me delete the Trash and Trash.msf files EXCEPT in the folder for my business account. The .msf file there went without a fuss, but the Trash file kept asking for admin permission and wouldn't delete. (I'm the only account on my computer.) I had this problem before and fiddled with it long enough to find a solution, but I can't remember what I did. Any assistance is appreciated. I'm moving the Email files over to my personal until I can find a solution.

Chosen solution

I... think I fixed it?

I deleted the business account entirely. Then deleted the Windows folder entirely along with the local. Then opened Thunderbird and rebuilt the account from scratch (after backing up my Emails to the personal account, of course). And I made sure to check "empty trash folder on exit" (which I wasn't seeing before). Now it's behaving like normal.

Weird. Again, I don't know what I did. But it worked.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (5)

more options

re: my computer would let me delete the Trash and Trash.msf files EXCEPT in the folder for my business account.The .msf file there went without a fuss, but the Trash file kept asking for admin permission.

access the profile folder > Mail account name In thunderbird Help > Troubleshooting information click on 'show folder' Close thunderbird now.

click on 'Mail' folder click on mail account name

Right click on 'Trash' file and select 'Properties' At the bottom under 'Attributes' make sure 'read only' is Not selected. click on 'Security' tab and check you have full permission on this file.

more options

Tried it.

Windows won't let me do anything with the file. Delete it. Change attributes. Rename it. Move it. Nothing.

However, I can rename the entire account's folder and everything deletes with no issues. But then I start up Thunderbird again and I'm back where I started.

more options

The error I get is I need permission from the "account owner", but my account is the only one on my computer and has full admin rights.

Thoroughly stumped here.

more options

Chosen Solution

I... think I fixed it?

I deleted the business account entirely. Then deleted the Windows folder entirely along with the local. Then opened Thunderbird and rebuilt the account from scratch (after backing up my Emails to the personal account, of course). And I made sure to check "empty trash folder on exit" (which I wasn't seeing before). Now it's behaving like normal.

Weird. Again, I don't know what I did. But it worked.

more options

I had the same problem and I found out that it was my Message Filters that was locking up the Trash.msf file. I removed the filters sending e-mails to the Deleted folder in my POP account, which then allowed me to delete the Trash.msf file and re-create it.

Later on, I re-created those filters to send to the local Deleted folder instead and that's been working great since.