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T'bird is downloading messages into inbox that Gmail already marked as spam.

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by jjgurley

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If I log into Gmail (which I generally don't), certain messages are already in my Spam folder. With Thunderbird, those messages appear in my Inbox. This was not a big deal until I got a barrage of 1000s of emails over the last few days (used to camouflage a fraudulent purchase acknowledgement). Isn't there a way for T'bird to 'agree' with Gmail about Spam status without duplicating the filters that Gmail uses?

If I log into Gmail (which I generally don't), certain messages are already in my Spam folder. With Thunderbird, those messages appear in my Inbox. This was not a big deal until I got a barrage of 1000s of emails over the last few days (used to camouflage a fraudulent purchase acknowledgement). Isn't there a way for T'bird to 'agree' with Gmail about Spam status without duplicating the filters that Gmail uses?

Chosen solution

I agree that does not sound correct because imap accounts synchronise folders. So Inbox and Spam folders should show the same as server. Basically, the server folders are one and the same as imap account folders.

In Folder Pane

  • Right click on gmail imap account name and select 'Subscribe'
  • click on 'Refresh'
  • Select/highlight all the folders you need to see which must include all default folders.
  • Click on 'Subscribe'
  • click on OK

Q: Did you initially set up the account as POP and then try to change the Account Setting server settings to imap server settings?

  • Right click on gmail mail account name in Folder Pane and select 'Settings'
  • Select 'Server Settings'

Does it say 'Server Type: POP or IMAP Mail Server ?

  • click on 'Junk Settings'
  • Select 'Move new junk messages to'
  • Select 'Other' and choose 'Spam on gmail account'


  • Select 'Synchronisation & Storage'
  • Have you selected checkbox 'Keep messages in all folders for this account on this folder' ?

If no:

  • click on 'Advanced' and what, if any, of those folders has been selected.

Under 'Disc Space'

  • What have you selected ?

click on OK to close Account SEttings window.

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All Replies (5)

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I'm configured as imap.

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Chosen Solution

I agree that does not sound correct because imap accounts synchronise folders. So Inbox and Spam folders should show the same as server. Basically, the server folders are one and the same as imap account folders.

In Folder Pane

  • Right click on gmail imap account name and select 'Subscribe'
  • click on 'Refresh'
  • Select/highlight all the folders you need to see which must include all default folders.
  • Click on 'Subscribe'
  • click on OK

Q: Did you initially set up the account as POP and then try to change the Account Setting server settings to imap server settings?

  • Right click on gmail mail account name in Folder Pane and select 'Settings'
  • Select 'Server Settings'

Does it say 'Server Type: POP or IMAP Mail Server ?

  • click on 'Junk Settings'
  • Select 'Move new junk messages to'
  • Select 'Other' and choose 'Spam on gmail account'


  • Select 'Synchronisation & Storage'
  • Have you selected checkbox 'Keep messages in all folders for this account on this folder' ?

If no:

  • click on 'Advanced' and what, if any, of those folders has been selected.

Under 'Disc Space'

  • What have you selected ?

click on OK to close Account SEttings window.

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I migrated this account from POP to iMap about 10 years ago. The "move junk" was not enabled, so I'll see if that works. It might be an houor before another barrage of spam arrives...

Thanks for the reply!

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That didn't work. I about 20 emails this morning that are probably the result of a "subscribe bot" in my Inbox. I looked via webmail and they are just not there, neither in my inbox or my spam folder. I've looked for duplicate spam or junk folders, and they just aren't there. Very weird.

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I'm entirely puzzled by what's happening, but I can't blame T'bird. I'm getting mail in my T'bird inbox, and when I go to gmail (web based) I don't see them anywhere, but if I search for them, it finds them in "inbox" even though I can see them in the list. If I mark them as spam, they immediately disappear from T'bird, so T'bird is working perfectly.