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Can I configure TB to automatically remove deleted messages older than a month?

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by sfhowes

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I've recently moved from Apple Mail to Thunderbird. I had Apple Mail configured to "permanently erase deleted messages when one month old" (under Accounts | Mailbox Behaviors). That lets me get back a recently-deleted message if I find I want it after all, but stops the trash box getting too big. I'd like Thunderbird to do the same, rather than waiting until the trash box is a certain size and then erasing everything.

I've recently moved from Apple Mail to Thunderbird. I had Apple Mail configured to "permanently erase deleted messages when one month old" (under Accounts | Mailbox Behaviors). That lets me get back a recently-deleted message if I find I want it after all, but stops the trash box getting too big. I'd like Thunderbird to do the same, rather than waiting until the trash box is a certain size and then erasing everything.

Chosen solution

Right-click a folder, Properties, then adjust the setting on the Retention Policy tab.

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Yes.

In the email account > View Settings >

Sync & Storage > Disk Space


The top section is how much you want to sync up from your IMAP server the lower part deals with deleting synced data after some period of time ( check that which defaults to 30 days)

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Won't that remove *all* older messages? I only want to remove them from the Deleted mailbox, not the Inbox. The copies on the remote server are configured to be removed after a day, so that's not an issue.

BTW it's a POP mailbox, not IMAP, but I don't think that makes any difference.

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Chosen Solution

Right-click a folder, Properties, then adjust the setting on the Retention Policy tab.

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OK, so I can set it up separately for the Deleted folder. And it's actually a separate folder, not (as in Apple Mail) simply things in the inbox that are marked for deletion. Now I know. Thank you.

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Actually, to be precise, deleted messages are copied to Trash and marked as 'deleted' in the originating folder, and are not completely removed until the originating folder and Trash are compacted. So, it appears to be similar to the Apple approach. It's worth knowing in case you need to recover messages.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Undelete_a_message