Assuming you use POP, downloading all incoming mail to PC, then YES, the messages will still be on your PC if you cancel the accounts. However, do NOT delete the accounts within Thunderbird, as that would delete the email folders.

Assuming you use POP, downloading all incoming mail to PC, then YES, the messages will still be on your PC if you cancel the accounts. However, do NOT delete the accounts within Thunderbird, as that would delete the email folders.

Thanks David. Can you help me with 2 questions:

Q1: Is this the right place to check whether I am using POP? (https://i.imgur.com/HD2Catg.png). If not, where do I look?

Q2: It seems like Zoho Mail only allows IMAP access (https://www.zoho.com/mail/help/thunderbird-imap-access.html)? If so, is there anything I can do to achieve what I want above?

Thank you

On your first question, the link you sent says 'imap'. To have a POP account, you must set it up from the beginning as POP. That is, you cannot change an account from IMAP to POP.

On your second question, if you go to the URL you list and enter POP on the search box in the page, it will take you to the Zoho page for POP.

On your first question, the link you sent says 'imap'. To have a POP account, you must set it up from the beginning as POP. That is, you cannot change an account from IMAP to POP. On your second question, if you go to the URL you list and enter POP on the search box in the page, it will take you to the Zoho page for POP.

Many thanks David!

I read in Google that: IMAP = emails reside on server POP = emails reside only on one device

Is there a hybrid way of having everything reside on the server but at the same time an exact local replica exists on my Thunderbird?

"What's the difference between IMAP and POP? IMAP–With IMAP, email messages and attachments stay on the mail server even after you open them on your device, for example a tablet or phone. To keep messages on the server so you can get them from any of your devices at any time, use IMAP

POP–With POP, email messages and attachments are removed from the mail server after you get them on your device. Once the messages are removed from the server, you can't get them from any other device. If you get messages on a single device, and want messages deleted from the server after downloading, use POP. "

You can specify with an IMAP account to download to PC. This is specified at tools>accounts>synchronization.

You can specify with an IMAP account to download to PC. This is specified at tools>accounts>synchronization.

Thanks so actually regardless of whether I use IMAP or POP, as long as I have synchronization turned on then I will always have an offline copy on my hard disk that will remain even if I cancel my email accounts?

No. if retaining all copies, even if you cancel account, then POP is safest, as downloads are100% under your control. With IMAP, you would share in responsibility that all were syncing properly and this also subjects you to whatever polices the email provider has.