Auto Delete Emails
Hi, I have been a Thunderbird user for over twenty years. I access my emails on the following devices - Desktop - Thunderbird (POP3) Phone - App (Imap) Webmail - Imap In early April, my Webmail account sync with my phone and I lost my folders and emails on my webmail (Bigpond) account. Currently, when I access my emails from the phone app or webmail, the emails stays however as soon as I open Thunderbird on my desktop, the emails download from the server and auto deletes all emails on my phone and webmail Inbox. If I move an email to a folder on the phone, it is not deleted. I can send emails. I have sought help from the app developer and the network provider (Bigpond) and they advised that they have never come across such issue. The tech people have gone through all the settings and unable to find the problem. I was just wondering if anyone may have had a similar issue recently and found a solution. Would appreciate any help as it is driving me crazy. Thank you.
Modified by jlee.bud
All Replies (4)
If I were you, I would use IMAP in Thunderbird as well. However, if for some reason you won't let go of POP3, you need to make sure Thunderbird is configured to leave messages on the server when it finds and downloads them. See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/configuration-options-accounts#w_server-settings-panel
Thank you for your reply, Stans. Settings were configured to 'Leave messages on server... Until I delete them'. For some reason, it's doesn't. I am reluctant in changing TB to IMAP as it may sync with the other devices and delete all my files and emails.
Modified by jlee.bud
While "leave messages on the server" is an option/feature (for POP3 accounts only) in Thunderbird, it has no effect on how the server actually handles messages that have been downloaded via POP3. Ultimately, it is how the server has been configured that determines what happens. In other words, if the server is configured to NOT keep messages, then it will delete them when downloaded even if the "leave messages on the server" option is enabled in Thunderbird. Some email providers, such as Gmail, have a setting that let's you choose how the server handles such messages. Check with your email provider if such an option exists. I have seen threads about the "leave messages on the server" option seemingly not working for Gmail accounts (nothing so far on Bigpond), and the solution to them is to of course change that setting in Gmail.
If you were to add your account as an IMAP account in Thunderbird, Thunderbird will show you exactly what is on the server. Think of IMAP as a direct view into what exists on the server. It will not delete any messages from the server IF you do not delete them in Thunderbird first.
Thanks again for your advice, Stans, I really appreciate your time. I have checked with the email provider re option and awaiting their reply. It sounds like they are baffled too. In the meantime, I am forwarding all my Bigpond emails to my proton email address on my phone and for some reason, they are not deleted. Just a band-aid solution for the time being. So, in a nutshell - when I open the Proton phone app or Bigpond webmail, the messages are downloaded from the server ok. As soon as I open TB desktop, the messages are deleted on webmail and BlueMail phone app.