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Messages do not automatically save to Sent and Drafts folders

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

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I am running Mac OS 11.6 (Big Sur), and just upgraded to Thunderbird 91.1.2.

After the upgrade, Thunderbird no longer automatically saves Sent and Draft messages, but instead makes me request a save.

I THINK my preferences are correctly set--see attached screenshot.

I am running Mac OS 11.6 (Big Sur), and just upgraded to Thunderbird 91.1.2. After the upgrade, Thunderbird no longer automatically saves Sent and Draft messages, but instead makes me request a save. I THINK my preferences are correctly set--see attached screenshot.
Attached screenshots

All Replies (5)

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Is this a Google domain account? If so, try unchecking 'Place a copy in', since Google accounts automatically copy sent messages, and then subscribe to the Sent Mail folder.

I don't know if this will affect drafts as well, but it's usually sufficient to store drafts on Local Folders.

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Thank you, sfhowes. I appreciate this.

It's a bit complicated. The domain is ramapo.edu, but our contract is with Google. So, it is a "Google account" but not a gmail.com domain.

The thing of it is, I used the previous version of Thunderbird with everything exactly as it is now, without a hitch. Somehow, upgrading to 91.1.2 has caused this change.

So it can't be anything in the preferences, unless the upgrade changed the options there.

Is there any way to talk with the developers, or to submit this as a potential bug report?

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So, it's a ramapo.edu domain running gmail. Are the incoming and outgoing servers imap.gmail.com and smtp.gmail.com (they are)? Hard to say why the update would change the sent and drafts behavior, but it's possible.

Before you submit a report to Bugzilla, I would recommend you try the settings suggested in my first reply, and make sure there are no security/antivirus/VPN apps interfering with TB. To test with a clean profile, create a new one from Help/Troubleshooting, about:profiles, and add the account. The current profile will be unaffected.

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You are correct. The user name is vasishth@ramapo.edu, the server is imap.gmail.com.

Two questions:

  • if I make the changes you suggest to Copies and Folders, will my Sent and Draft messages be saved in my local folder? If so, I can't do it--I work off three or four different computers, and need my folders to be online.
  • I DO use VPN occasionally, so have to have antivirus software on my machines. If I follow your advice and create a "clean" profile, will the AV software not affect that as well?. I'm not sure I understand why a new profile on the same machine with the same software on it, might make a difference.

By the way, might you know if it is even possible to revert my machine to the older version of TB? (Somehow, my desktop mac, running the identical OS, will not upgrade to 91.1.2. But on the plus side, it DOES NOT give me this issue. That machine has exactly the same VPN and AV setup as my laptop. Mystified.)

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The sent messages will be automatically saved to Sent Mail, an IMAP folder that can be subscribed on any device that has the account set up as IMAP. Right-click the account in the Folder Pane, Subscribe..., Refresh, check the box for the desired folders (Sent Mail, and Drafts if not stored on Local Folders).

VPNs generally affect authentication of mail accounts, so they should be disabled during mail operations, unless the VPN has specific instructions for gmail. The general recommendation is to exclude the TB profile folder from antivirus scanning and to disable scanning of secure (SSL) connections. Leave the real-time background scan in place.

A new profile often works better at the beginning of a major release cycle, instead of using a profile that was created before the update. This forum is full of issues with updates on old profiles.

Downgrading is possible but often causes more trouble than it's worth, unless you are experienced with multiple versions and profiles. If you revert to 78, I recommend creating a new profile.