This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

When I delete a message in Thunderbird it is not deleted from my POP3 server.

  • 1 reply
  • 4 have this problem
  • 16 views
  • Last reply by jconstan

jconstan
jconstan
more options

I have account settings as "leave email on server" and "until I delete" both checked. When I delete the email in Thunderbird version 24.4.0, the email does not get deleted on the pop server.

If I build a filter and say "delete from server" any email that has a STAR status. The emails DO get deleted from the server when I run the message filter.

I do not believe I should need to run a filter every time I want to delete emails from the POP3 server.

I must be doing something wrong....any ideas????

I have account settings as "leave email on server" and "until I delete" both checked. When I delete the email in Thunderbird version 24.4.0, the email does not get deleted on the pop server. If I build a filter and say "delete from server" any email that has a STAR status. The emails DO get deleted from the server when I run the message filter. I do not believe I should need to run a filter every time I want to delete emails from the POP3 server. I must be doing something wrong....any ideas????

Chosen solution

I found the answer on another forum by Tom Wijsman: 

   Go to Options -> Advanced -> Config Editor.

   Find the Name mail.pop3.deleteFromServerOnMove

   Set it to True.

   True: Delete the copy of the message on the POP3 server if you move or delete the message.

   False(default): Only delete the copy of the message on the POP3 server if you delete the message.

That's it, restart Thunderbird. You need to press 'Get Mail' everytime you want to sync with the email server, in order for you to make sure messages in the application is in sync with the email server.

The following should be emphasized to realize the sync with the server. You will not see your server message disappear upon the initial Get Mail download (new messages downloaded). After you process your Inbox in Thunderbird by deleting/moving a new message, then do another Get Mail which will delete the new messages previously downloaded on the server (put in sync).

Note: If you have older messages in your Thunderbird Inbox, they will not be deleted from Server. Delete them manually from server. From then on, any new messages you download, then process (delete/move), and then do the sync by doing Get Mail again WILL be deleted. share|improve this answer

Tom Wijsman

Read this answer in context 👍 5

All Replies (1)

jconstan
jconstan Question owner
more options

Chosen Solution

I found the answer on another forum by Tom Wijsman: 

   Go to Options -> Advanced -> Config Editor.

   Find the Name mail.pop3.deleteFromServerOnMove

   Set it to True.

   True: Delete the copy of the message on the POP3 server if you move or delete the message.

   False(default): Only delete the copy of the message on the POP3 server if you delete the message.

That's it, restart Thunderbird. You need to press 'Get Mail' everytime you want to sync with the email server, in order for you to make sure messages in the application is in sync with the email server.

The following should be emphasized to realize the sync with the server. You will not see your server message disappear upon the initial Get Mail download (new messages downloaded). After you process your Inbox in Thunderbird by deleting/moving a new message, then do another Get Mail which will delete the new messages previously downloaded on the server (put in sync).

Note: If you have older messages in your Thunderbird Inbox, they will not be deleted from Server. Delete them manually from server. From then on, any new messages you download, then process (delete/move), and then do the sync by doing Get Mail again WILL be deleted. share|improve this answer

Tom Wijsman