Usually an archive location is set up automatically. Account Settings > Copies & Folders' for the account. I would advise the following: '''Pop accounts :''' * Select checkbox: 'Keep message archives in' * Select 'Archives Folder on' and select 'the accountname/email address' * Click on 'Archive Options' button to choose additional options. '''IMAP accounts:''' * Select checkbox: 'Keep message archives in' * Select 'Other' and select correct folder eg: 'Archive on accountname/email address' (I advise using 'Other' because servers may use a different name eg: Archive not Archives) * Click on 'Archive Options' button to choose additional options. '''Gmail IMAP''' By default if you choose to Archive an email, gmail will do the following: Remove all labels and continue to store email in 'All Mail' folder. Gmail stores everything in 'All Mail' received, sent, archived, the lot. To retrieve the email: * logon to gmail webmail account via a browser * access the 'All Mail' folder. * Locate the email and re-apply the appropriate label eg: Inbox. * In Thunderbird select 'Inbox' and it synchs with server. You should see the 'archived' email reappear. If you want to archive gmail emails but do not want them to disappear and do not want to subscribe to 'All Mail' because it's just a complete duplicate of everything, uses space and is not an easy folder to find anything.... * Create a folder called something like 'Archive' or 'OldStuff' etc Then in 'Account SEttings' > 'Copies & Folders' for gmail imap account * Select checkbox: 'Keep message archives in' * Select 'Other' and select correct folder eg: 'OldStuff on gmail email address' You find the 'Archive Options' button is disabled when it comes to gmail as you cannot set up Archive options for emails that gmail put in All Mail.