Thunderbird Will NOT Delete email from Gmail Server
Using Thunderbird 38.5.1 with POP Gmail under Linux Mint. Had to enable "allow download for less secure clients" (or similar language) in gmail's configuration settings to get it to work and now it seems to be working fine, except:
Whole purpose of this is to try to get rid of most of my 38,000 emails in gmail by using Thunderbird's filter options to delete (one example) all the old emails with attachments, etc... Set-up rules in Thunderbird to delete all past and future emails based on certain parameters and the whole point is to get Thunderbird to delete the emails off of Gmails server (as gmail's search and filter options have much less granularity, and are more tedious. One example is that you can't separate those emails with attachments (data bulk) from those that don't.
Everything works except the emails deleted in Thunderbird won't delete from Gmail's Server. I've tried everything. Delete the email, then empty trash, then close thunderbird, then restart thunderbird (thinking that the actual "delete" operation happens only when thunderbird starts), then log off gmail, restart gmail and SURPRISE! the email deleted from Thunderbird is still there on Gmail's server.
I've made the correct setting in Thunderbird, ticking both "Leave Messages on Server" and "Until I delete them". I also read a recommendation where you go into Advanced>configuration editor and enable a setting that deletes the email when they are deleted or moved. Nothing works. I'm already bald, so I have no hair to pull. Any help?
All Replies (1)
When you select to delete a message, from your point of view, the email disappears from eg: Inbox and appears in 'Deleted' folder. In reality, it has been 'marked as deleted' and hidden from view, so it is still in the Inbox. This means that if you delete in error, the email can be recovered.
When you compact the Inbox folder, those 'marked as deleted' emails are removed. To compact: right click on Inbox folder and select 'compact'.
You can tell if emails have been removed by enabling the 'Size' column in the Folder Pane. 'View' > 'Layout' > 'select 'Folder Pane Columns' or 'Menu icon' > 'Options' > 'Layout' > 'select 'Folder Pane Columns'
then select the 'Size' option. see image below as aid.
Gmail has it's own weird way of dealing with emails. All emails are stored in gmails 'All Mail' folder which you using POP, would only see if you logged onto the webmail account. The 'All Mail' folder is gmails archive folder of all incoming emails (and outgoing if using imap). Labels are applied in order to force a view more familiar; emails in folders such as 'Inbox'. But the original is in the 'All Mail' folder.
As it is uncertain how many emails are in the Inbox and how frequently you compact, I would recommend you do the following as it is unknown if there is any corruption on the inbox and just for safety, so you do not lose any emails. Normally you should not need to empty the Inbox before compacting.
Create suitable folders for storing/organising emails. eg: Friends, Family, Bills etc. Move all good emails out of Inbox into those folders. When Inbox is empty, compact the Inbox.
Empty the 'Deleted' folder - right click on 'deleted' folder and select 'empty deleted'.
You can also set up to auto empty the Deleted folder on exit. right click on mail account in Folder Pane and select 'Settings' select 'Server Settings' for the mail account under 'Message storage' select 'Empty Deleted folder on exit' click on OK.
Close and restart Thunderbird. Then check on the webmail account - remember to refresh the webpage to make sure it is showing an up to date view.
Pop mail accounts usually are set up to delete emails upon download. This setting would need to be set in gmail webmail.
this should force all downloaded emails to not archive in 'All Mail'. So now your only copy would be in Thunderbird.
If you select the option in Thunderbird account settings to "Leave Messages on Server" and "Until I delete them". Then this forces a copy to be kept on server.
For emails to be deleted they need to be moved to gmails trash, which when emptied, should remove from 'All Mail', but deleting a label does not necessarilly delete it from 'All Mail'.
Whilst for most POP mail accounts the settings you have in TB would work perfectly, but gmail is a real pain, they either tell you to choose not to store anything or stuck with having to manually delete stuff from the 'All Mail' folder.
