Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Imap /local storage sync

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 14 views
  • Last reply by Stans

more options

Alright - I've got some accounts set up to store locally (IMAP server). (at least I think - this is probably the most confusing feature... I want the local storage to be "permanent until deleted" - but I only want to keep 30 days on the imap server. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to do that??

Please help and advise! Regards, and thank you in advance. John

Alright - I've got some accounts set up to store locally (IMAP server). (at least I think - this is probably the most confusing feature... I want the local storage to be "permanent until deleted" - but I only want to keep 30 days on the imap server. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to do that?? Please help and advise! Regards, and thank you in advance. John

Chosen solution

If you decide to keep using IMAP, you can create a local folder (under the Local Folders special account) for archiving the messages you no longer want to keep on the server. This means, you will have to manually move older messages from the IMAP inbox to the local archive folder. This will delete the server copies without touching your local copies.

To switch to POP, see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/faq-changing-imap-pop

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (3)

more options

If you want the messages listed in Thunderbird but not on the server - you can't. The very definition of imap is the list of messages you see in your mail client is what is actually on the server. Nothing more and nothing less.

more options

Hmmm crap I guess I'll have to convert to POP3... With POP3 I can keep the last X days on the server, everything else local... Now... where are the instructions for doing that... :)

John

more options

Chosen Solution

If you decide to keep using IMAP, you can create a local folder (under the Local Folders special account) for archiving the messages you no longer want to keep on the server. This means, you will have to manually move older messages from the IMAP inbox to the local archive folder. This will delete the server copies without touching your local copies.

To switch to POP, see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/faq-changing-imap-pop