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Deleted emails keep returning

  • 3 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 423 views
  • Last reply by AgnesRM

Pappy668
Pappy668

I have checked the IMAP settings that deleted emails are removed from the server.

Installed Thunderbird and in "All Mail", emails are going back to 2016 (even from old email accounts)  !! Deleted all but the past few months and when I reopen Thunderbird, they all come back. Even used the "expunge" options and they still reappear.

This is so annoying !

Can anyone help with this ?

I have checked the IMAP settings that deleted emails are removed from the server. Installed Thunderbird and in "All Mail", emails are going back to 2016 (even from old email accounts) !! Deleted all but the past few months and when I reopen Thunderbird, they all come back. Even used the "expunge" options and they still reappear. This is so annoying ! Can anyone help with this ?

Chosen solution

I've worked it our that even if the Gmail server has emptied and deleted all the messages in Bin, Archive etc, it still seems to keep the emails hidden somewhere so the best way I found to deleted 5 YEARS worth, was to search using date parameters and then get rid, on the webmail. Seems to defeat the object of deleting and emptying the bin if it still retains them (but hidden) !!

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All Replies (3)

AgnesRM
AgnesRM

Hi If you are using IMAP, that indicates the emails are still undeleted somewhere in the online email server. Each time you delete in Thunderbird, then reconnect, Thunderbird shows you that they are still there. Can you access your online webmail account, and empty the 'trash' or 'deleted' or 'bin' folder online? (Delete is a two stage process - delete puts email in trash/bin/deleted where it stays until that folder is emptied. Empty finally removes them for good.)

Pappy668
Pappy668 Question owner

Chosen Solution

I've worked it our that even if the Gmail server has emptied and deleted all the messages in Bin, Archive etc, it still seems to keep the emails hidden somewhere so the best way I found to deleted 5 YEARS worth, was to search using date parameters and then get rid, on the webmail. Seems to defeat the object of deleting and emptying the bin if it still retains them (but hidden) !!

AgnesRM
AgnesRM

Goodness, dear Gmail (un)helpfully protecting you from accidentally removing something. It is worse than multiple 'are you sure?' prompts! If they are so well hidden in Gmail, certainly does defeat all the trouble of deleting and emptying trash!