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IMAP Folder retention policy does not work

  • 3 replies
  • 9 have this problem
  • 26 views
  • Last reply by Wayne Mery

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On an folder of any IMAP account, I used Properties => Retention policy and defined a limit of 10 days.

Expected: A message should be deleted local as well as on the server, after 10 days. Result: Does not work, unless I manually Compact each folder.

Is there a way to compact all folders, through all accounts, or at least all folders of an account. This is about IMAP only. Under POP3 all works fine.

Grtnx. Ruud Uphoff

On an folder of any IMAP account, I used Properties => Retention policy and defined a limit of 10 days. Expected: A message should be deleted local as well as on the server, after 10 days. Result: Does not work, unless I manually Compact each folder. Is there a way to compact all folders, through all accounts, or at least all folders of an account. This is about IMAP only. Under POP3 all works fine. Grtnx. Ruud Uphoff

Chosen solution

Compact doesn't really have anything to do with retention policy - they work independent, on different schedulers.

There are some bug reports - https://mzl.la/2xaGLJe - but I don't have time to go through them. But perhaps you can view some and pick one that fits your issue and offer some new helpful advice there

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Right click an account and select Compact to compact that account. Select File-Compact to do all accounts.

There are some settings in Account settings that define the action when you delete a message. You might check those.

I am on an Android tablet so no access to Thunderbird and I do not remember he exact location.

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Compacting all folders does not apply the retention policy of all folders. like compacting each folder separately does .

The problem is the not working retention policy on IMAP. And I have different sub folders, each with a different retention policy.

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Chosen Solution

Compact doesn't really have anything to do with retention policy - they work independent, on different schedulers.

There are some bug reports - https://mzl.la/2xaGLJe - but I don't have time to go through them. But perhaps you can view some and pick one that fits your issue and offer some new helpful advice there