'Junk Mail' is not a Thunderbird default folder so it must be one created by the server as viewed via webmail account. Somehow, by either webmail or desktop imap access or phone access, that 'Personal' folder was moved into 'Junk Mail'. This requires a selection of that folder and use of drag and drop, so an accidental click and release could have moved it without you realising. When this was done, it would obviously mean everything within that folder which would include subfolders was now in the 'Junk Mail' folder. This would then synchronise with server and update the server to show the same. So the move error occured either on webmail or phone or that computer, but not on the personal laptop. Do you have a setting to auto empty junk mail when you exit Thunderbird or does your server have an auto empty junk because many servers do have that setting ? re :''on my personal laptop, I could see the 'personal' file still there, with the subfolders. '' At this point the laptop imap account was still in the last good state. So whatever was the last date you used the personal laptop, you know on that date the server was still showing all the correct folder configuration. You should have immediately exited or disconnected from internet because that copy was still intact. It had not synchronised with server. You could checked to see if it stored full copies in mbox files and if the answer was yes, rescued the entire lot of folders and emails by creating a backup. re: ''When I clicked in any subfolder, the emails where there, however, they dissapeared in front of my eyes and were completely empty. '' If this was the only intact copy and the server (webmail) did not have any copy of emails, then you forced the copy on laptop to synchronise with a server that had no emails, hence forcing the complete removal of all your emails. So this was a huge error on your part probably because you did not understand how imap accounts work. You should have attempted to create a backup instead. Imap accounts synchronise with server folders to show what is held on server. So the server is really the only copy and you access it from a variety of devices. IF you have settings to download full copies of emails then in Thunderbird mbox files are created and this means you could create a backup of the profile and in doing create a copy of emails held on the server. Creating a backup is important regardless of whether you have a pop or imap because having only one copy is rather risky especially if those emails are important and not just chitchat. Thunderbird did not magically move that 'Personal' folder. It would require specific events to be triggered and Thunderbird has no control over the mouse. It was an unknowingly created accident. If you had been using Outlook and the same occurred, it would not be the fault of Outlook. Have you at any time created a backup of your profile on either computer/laptop ? Create a backup of the laptop Thunderbird folder now and let's see if there is anything left in it. If email is stored in default location: Exit Thunderbird access the following location: C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\'''Thunderbird\''' Copy the 'Thunderbird' folder to another location/external device.