How exactly do you think software on your computer is supposed to work with the computer shut off? This is why you forward email at the server and do not use an email client to do it.

I didn't know if the client was somehow linked to a server that was always processing the filters. That would be really convenient. I would do forwarding but it's not enabled on my .edu email. If I forward using Thunderbird will it process always?

The only servers are your email providers server. Email clients by definition are computer software that runs on the CLIENT computer. That would be you.

There is no always. Email works when it wants to and the network is working.

So what would your solution be to automatically migrate all new emails from my .edu account to another account (gmail) upon arrival? The .edu doesn't have email forwarding enabled and doesn't allow POP import from Gmail. It does allow IMAP, but Gmail can't import using IMAP. Because right now using a client is the best way I have found.

Sounds like your only choice is you use the client filters and leave your computer on and hope it keeps running.

Why all the forwarding in the first place? Why not just add your edu email to the client you are using and check the email?

Would just prefer to have everything in one inbox in Gmail. So there's no way to get the Thunderbird Client to emulate a webmail that processes filters automatically and as soon as an email arrives on the webmail servers?

You need to get a grip on how email clients work. The only time they even talk to the server is when you have them check mail. Your computer needs to be on! The software needs to be open. You have to create the correct filters and have them run at the correct time.

I completely understand how clients work and have since before I began this thread... Anyway, when I find/make a solution I'll post it here. Let me know if you realize a workaround. I won't give up so easily!

Yes, good luck with that.

Figured out the best workaround. My main issue was that on my mobile device, the default mail client wasn't able to load the .edu email without forcing me to create a password for my phone lock screen. Didn't want to do that, so this meant that I could view Gmail only on my phone in the Email app. There was no way to view both inboxes as combined at once, so I wanted to find a way to get my .edu emails into Gmail continuously. I switched to the Gmail App and found that I could import the .edu account via IMAP to the app (which is more like a client than webmail) and still have the Gmail account (even though they still remain separate, you can view a combined inbox). I don't get why IMAP importing is enabled on the GMail app, but not the desktop webmail. And why there is no way to create filters in the GMail App like there is on both the Gmail Desktop version and Thunderbird. Anyway, the world is pleading for developers to release an Android app that allows movement of emails between accounts, as none currently exist. If anyone knows of desktop webmails like Gmail that allow IMAP import, I'd like to know those also! NOTE: my .edu email had POP disabled completely.

So bottom line for all you people like me with this problem. Seems like the best solution currently is to use a client or Webmail with IMAP import (which I don't know any) on your desktop, and use any of the good clients for your mobile device (K-9, TypeMail, Gmail App, etc) to view all your email accounts in 1 place on both phone and PC...

And keep dreaming of the day there's an android app that allows moving emails between accounts (already available on iOS).

Hope this helps!

what EDU does not offer POP access, please if they have IMAP enabled pop also in my experience

They don't. I can go into the POP and IMAP settings on their outlook web app and it'll tell me the servers for IMAP and SMTP but under POP it says "disabled."