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Thunderbird using a subfolder as inbox

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

Maria G
Maria G
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Hello -

For about a month or so now, any email that arrives that is not in my contacts is sent to a subfolder I have for petitions and such, completely skipping the inbox. It doesn't matter what it is - a "confirm your email address" message or an "order received" or "check out our latest offers." Even if there's an existing filter to send to the correct subfolder, it invariably goes to this specific folder. Is there anything I can do to fix this, short of erasing all my filters? (I tried this with a few and it still does it.)

Thank you.

Hello - For about a month or so now, any email that arrives that is not in my contacts is sent to a subfolder I have for petitions and such, completely skipping the inbox. It doesn't matter what it is - a "confirm your email address" message or an "order received" or "check out our latest offers." Even if there's an existing filter to send to the correct subfolder, it invariably goes to this specific folder. Is there anything I can do to fix this, short of erasing all my filters? (I tried this with a few and it still does it.) Thank you.

Chosen solution

You could try using the FolderFlags add-on to see if this subfolder is mistakenly working like Inbox, or delete the folder, create a new one, and see if that makes a difference. Enable the filter log in Tools/Message Filters in case it provides a clue.

Gmail does have the option to sort mail into Primary, Promotions, Social etc., but that's not happening here, as long as there are no filters defined on Gmail.

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All Replies (5)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Are these messages being moved by a filter that is defined on the mail provider's site, before they are downloaded and filtered by TB? Some providers sort mail into 'Important', 'Promotions' etc.

Maria G
Maria G Question owner
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Not at all. Like I said, for instance, if I place an order at a new website, instead of going straight into the main inbox as an unrecognized email, it goes to the one labeled "Charity Requests/Crusades," where all my petitions go. It's like this folder has taken over as the main inbox.

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Who is the mail provider, and how is your filter set up? Post a picture of the filter.

Maria G
Maria G Question owner
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Sure. The provider is gmail and here's a picture of one the filters (they're all basically the same - no filter/unknown email, it should go straight to the inbox and it doesn't, coming to the charity requests folder the second filter sends emails to).

HOWEVER, I have Thunderbird on another computer (also a Mac) and the inbox behaves normally with the same filters. This is a problem specific to Thunderbird on the laptop.

Thank you.

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Chosen Solution

You could try using the FolderFlags add-on to see if this subfolder is mistakenly working like Inbox, or delete the folder, create a new one, and see if that makes a difference. Enable the filter log in Tools/Message Filters in case it provides a clue.

Gmail does have the option to sort mail into Primary, Promotions, Social etc., but that's not happening here, as long as there are no filters defined on Gmail.