IMAP synchronizes server folders between the e-mail client (Thunderbird) and the server, as you see. Trash is a server folder.

Did you not have what you wanted with POP?

Edit: oh, I misunderstood the direction of your intended change.

IMAP synchronizes server folders between the e-mail client (Thunderbird) and the server, as you see. Trash is a server folder. Did you not have what you wanted with POP?

Hi Rick, thanks your reply. I thought I'd switched from IMAP to POP, but now I'm not so sure. Under Server Settings I replaced the imap.myserver.com.au address with pop.myserver.com.au. However, the heading above the address still says "Server Type: IMAP Server", and it's still uploading to Trash as before.

I've looked high and low without being able to find instructions on how to switch Thunderbird desktop from IMAP to POP!

You cannot switch. You set up a new account in Thunderbird with the protocol that you want. After that, when you're happy with everything, you can delete the previous account with the other protocol. Of course, depending on your accounts, settings, folders, et cet., you may have to do some other things to save messages. Making a back-up copy before doing anything like this is always a good idea.

You cannot switch. You set up a new account in Thunderbird with the protocol that you want. After that, when you're happy with everything, you can delete the previous account with the other protocol. Of course, depending on your accounts, settings, folders, et cet., you may have to do some other things to save messages. Making a back-up copy before doing anything like this is always a good idea.

Aha! No wonder I couldn't figure it out.

What I need to do is to download all the messages on the Web server. Thunderbird has only downloaded about a hundred. Would a POP account be able to snag everything?

Both POP and IMAP should retrieve all the messages from the server.

Both POP and IMAP should retrieve all the messages from the server.

Then my problem isn't POP vs IMAP at all! Thunderbird is set to "Synchronize all messages locally regardless of age", but it's not doing that. My ISP thinks the problem is Thunderbird.

Would you please start a new discussion with a short, descriptive title and write the details of the symptoms in the body of your message?

More people will see it and might help.

And change your incoming server back to IMAP so you have a functioning IMAP account when people next try to help.

Would you please start a new discussion with a short, descriptive title and write the details of the symptoms in the body of your message? More people will see it and might help.

Done! Thanks for your help.