TB Not Deleting Mail .. How to Fix??

[zlaer]

Why is tb not deleting past emails?? I dont get it. I delete them but they are still there 1 or 2 weeks after I supposedly deleted them. How do I fix this?

[DanRaisch]

We're going to need more information.

What version of Thunderbird?
How is the account set up in Thunderbird, as POP or IMAP? Find out using menu path Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->Server Type at the top right of the dialogue.
Where are these "deleted" messages appearing to indicate they have not been deleted?
Who is the email provider?

[zlaer]

We're going to need more information.

What version of Thunderbird?
How is the account set up in Thunderbird, as POP or IMAP? Find out using menu path Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->Server Type at the top right of the dialogue.
Where are these "deleted" messages appearing to indicate they have not been deleted?
Who is the email provider?

Version 60.6.0.. IMAP. Provider is gmail.

Mail is not visible in the inbox immediately after I delete them. But after a week I check and I see them in the inbox.

Are deleted mail marked as deleted? And do they stay in the inbox until I empty the trash??

.

[DanRaisch]

Try right clicking on the name of that Inbox folder in the left hand pane of the main Thunderbird window. The select "Properties" from the context menu that appears and then on "Repair folder" This will cause Thunderbird to rebuild the file used as an index for the folder.

You may also need to change settings both in Thunderbird and on the Gmail web page.

In Thunderbird use menu path Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->When I delete a message->choose whether to move the deleted message to a folder (usually Trash) or to Mark it as deleted (it will still be displayed but the subject will appear in strike through font) or to Remove it immediately. You may also wish to choose a setting under Message Storage in that same dialogue box.

On the Gmail page, click on the Gear icon and then on Settings. In the "Forwarding & POP/IMAP" section, review the entire IMAP section and choose the settings that match your intended use.

[zlaer]

Try right clicking on the name of that Inbox folder in the left hand pane of the main Thunderbird window. The select "Properties" from the context menu that appears and then on "Repair folder" This will cause Thunderbird to rebuild the file used as an index for the folder.

You may also need to change settings both in Thunderbird and on the Gmail web page.

In Thunderbird use menu path Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->When I delete a message->choose whether to move the deleted message to a folder (usually Trash) or to Mark it as deleted (it will still be displayed but the subject will appear in strike through font) or to Remove it immediately. You may also wish to choose a setting under Message Storage in that same dialogue box.

On the Gmail page, click on the Gear icon and then on Settings. In the "Forwarding & POP/IMAP" section, review the entire IMAP section and choose the settings that match your intended use.

Dan.. here are my settings in gmail. Under "When a message is marked as deleted and expunged from the last visible IMAP folder:" do you think I should choose to, "Move the message to the Trash"? Or do you think the settings are set correctly?

[DanRaisch]

Not knowing whether that is a personal or business account or how you prefer to use email I can't really say with any confidence. Archiving the message will leave it in the "All Mail" folder on Gmail for access later should you need it. If you normally delete a message to see that message GONE, select "Immediately delete". If somewhere in between, the "Move the message to the Trash" will allow you to choose which folder that IMAP account uses as it's trash receptacle.

[zlaer]

Not knowing whether that is a personal or business account or how you prefer to use email I can't really say with any confidence. Archiving the message will leave it in the "All Mail" folder on Gmail for access later should you need it. If you normally delete a message to see that message GONE, select "Immediately delete". If somewhere in between, the "Move the message to the Trash" will allow you to choose which folder that IMAP account uses as it's trash receptacle.

Ok.. its a personal account. I just want deleted mail sent to trash. So your advice to "Move the message to the Trash" in gmail settings should work. But what I dont understand is, why doesnt TB do this if it has this setting already? Makes 0 sense.

By choosing "Move the message to the Trash" I assume deleted mail will be moved to IMAP trash..... Is this right?

[DanRaisch]

That depends on the setting selected in Thunderbird under Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->"When I delete a message"-""Move it to this folder". In some cases it might be necessary to subscribe to the server folder - https://www.liquidweb.com/kb/how-to-sub ... underbird/

[zlaer]

That depends on the setting selected in Thunderbird under Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->"When I delete a message"-""Move it to this folder". In some cases it might be necessary to subscribe to the server folder - https://www.liquidweb.com/kb/how-to-sub ... underbird/

Is it fair to say that deleted mail stays in the inbox until you empty out the trash folder?

[DanRaisch]

No. Messages stay in any folder after being "deleted" until that folder is compacted. They won't be displayed, but they will physically remain in the file until that compacting process is run.