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How to get different email addresses all to arrive in same folder

  • 4 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 7 views
  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

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I keep asking, but it has been answered before and my inbox (local folders I guess) used to accept emails from my two different accounts. Now they arrive in two different inboxes which is annoying. How do I get emails from my two different email addresses to arrive in the same inbox, have the same sent box etc.?

I keep asking, but it has been answered before and my inbox (local folders I guess) used to accept emails from my two different accounts. Now they arrive in two different inboxes which is annoying. How do I get emails from my two different email addresses to arrive in the same inbox, have the same sent box etc.?

Chosen solution

I presume you are talking about POP mail accounts. Only POP mail accounts can use a Global Inbox.

Stop Thunderbird from accessing server by going into 'Offline' mode. Click on two blue screen icon located far left in bottom Status bar. It will change to two black screen icon when offline.

Move all emails out of all folders in the pop mail accounts and put them into suitable folders in 'Local Folders'. Delete emails you do not want. Empty Junk and Deleted folders (eg: right click on Junk folder - Empty Junk) Right click on each folder and select 'Compact' or 'File > Compact Folders'

When the pop mail account folders are completely empty and compacted 'Tools' > 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for the pop mail account click on 'Advanced' button select: 'Inbox for different account' and 'Global Inbox (Local Folders)' click on 'OK'

Now you need to check all the following to make sure they are pointing to correct location. So select 'Copies & Folders' 'Tools' > 'Account Settings' > 'Copies & Folders' for pop mail account look at the destination folders for 'Sent', 'Drafts', and 'Templates'. Make sure that the messages for each will be stored in your 'Local Folders' folder locations.

then check Junk - click on 'Junk settings' verify that the folder selected for Junk messages is the one you want to use in 'Local Folders'.

Do the same for other POP mail accounts.

click on OK to save account settings changes.

Do not go back to online - you must not download anything. Restart Thunderbird immediately.

When it restarts it should restart in online mode or perhaps ask you. If you restart in offline mode, it does not matter, just swap it back after restarting: Click on two black screen icon located far left in bottom Status bar. It will change to two blue screen icon when online.

This should remove the mail account from the left Folder Pane and redirect mail to the Local Folders account.

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Chosen Solution

I presume you are talking about POP mail accounts. Only POP mail accounts can use a Global Inbox.

Stop Thunderbird from accessing server by going into 'Offline' mode. Click on two blue screen icon located far left in bottom Status bar. It will change to two black screen icon when offline.

Move all emails out of all folders in the pop mail accounts and put them into suitable folders in 'Local Folders'. Delete emails you do not want. Empty Junk and Deleted folders (eg: right click on Junk folder - Empty Junk) Right click on each folder and select 'Compact' or 'File > Compact Folders'

When the pop mail account folders are completely empty and compacted 'Tools' > 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for the pop mail account click on 'Advanced' button select: 'Inbox for different account' and 'Global Inbox (Local Folders)' click on 'OK'

Now you need to check all the following to make sure they are pointing to correct location. So select 'Copies & Folders' 'Tools' > 'Account Settings' > 'Copies & Folders' for pop mail account look at the destination folders for 'Sent', 'Drafts', and 'Templates'. Make sure that the messages for each will be stored in your 'Local Folders' folder locations.

then check Junk - click on 'Junk settings' verify that the folder selected for Junk messages is the one you want to use in 'Local Folders'.

Do the same for other POP mail accounts.

click on OK to save account settings changes.

Do not go back to online - you must not download anything. Restart Thunderbird immediately.

When it restarts it should restart in online mode or perhaps ask you. If you restart in offline mode, it does not matter, just swap it back after restarting: Click on two black screen icon located far left in bottom Status bar. It will change to two blue screen icon when online.

This should remove the mail account from the left Folder Pane and redirect mail to the Local Folders account.

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Instead of using a Global Inbox, you could try a different View, which is quick to test. This can be used with both POP and IMAP.

'View ' > 'Folders' > 'Unified' or 'Menu icon' > 'Folders' > 'Unified'

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Global inbox... I knew it was something simple I couldn't quite figure out. Thank you so much :)

Just one thing: now, on the LHS I have my two old accounts and then Local Folders. How do I hide this accounts? I deleted them before and then wasn't able to send or receive :P

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You cannot delete the mail accounts because you want to use them even if the emails are being directed to a different folder.

However, it sounds like you may have missed a process, because if set up correctly, the actual mail accounts should not be showing. You should only be seeing the Local Folders account.

Try again, but First get all pop mail account back to using their own Inbox. 'Tools' > 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for each the pop mail account

  • click on 'Advanced' button select: 'Inbox for this server account'
  • click on 'OK'

Now try again:

  • go offline - must stop TB communicating with server.
  • move all emails out of all folders in the pop mail accounts to Local Folders and then empty all Junk and Trash.
  • Compact all folders.

This should leave the pop mail account folders completely empty. If you enable the Folder Pane size collumn it should help you to see that all the folders are empty.

Do the following for all pop mail accounts.

  • Change Account Settings to 'Inbox for different account' and 'Global Inbox (Local Folders)'
  • Select the checkbox to 'Include this server when getting new mail'
  • click on OK
  • Check all the 'Copies & Folders' and 'Junk Settings' to make sure they are pointing to the relevant Local Folder folders.

when you are certain that all your pop mail accounts have got the correct settings..

  • Click on OK to save and close Account Settings

If you have set up any filters:

"Tools -> Message Filters"

make sure that they will work properly with your new Inbox configuration. Especially important if you are changing an account, so that it will start using the Global Inbox. If you have set up any filters that sort messages into any of the folders for the pop account: disable/delete those filters or change the destination folders.

Do not go online - do not download emails.

  • Close Thunderbird, wait a short while for all processes to complete and restart Thunderbird.
  • Go back to online mode, if restart did not start in online mode.

Report back after closing and restarting Thunderbird.

Modified by Toad-Hall