Windows 10 reached EOS (end of support) on October 14, 2025. If you are on Windows 10, see this article.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More
Solved Archived

Mail only appears in "All Mail" but nowhere else. Why?

DanielBragg

I use mail filters extensively for sorting my incoming mail. Now, I am finding mail that *only* can be found via the "All Mail" folder, but it is nowhere else - not in my InBox, not in any sub-folders. How can this happen?

Note, my IMAP provider is Gmail. Gmail uses Labels, which Thunderbird translates into Folders. I was under the impression that mail that had no labels would appear in the InBox. If this is the case, how can mail *not* be in my InBox, but still be found in my "All Mail" folder?

I use mail filters extensively for sorting my incoming mail. Now, I am finding mail that *only* can be found via the "All Mail" folder, but it is nowhere else - not in my InBox, not in any sub-folders. How can this happen? Note, my IMAP provider is Gmail. Gmail uses Labels, which Thunderbird translates into Folders. I was under the impression that mail that had no labels would appear in the InBox. If this is the case, how can mail *not* be in my InBox, but still be found in my "All Mail" folder?

All Replies (2)

Chosen Solution

Daniel, while the forum geeks suggest you ask a new question all the time, here in Thunderbird land we are a little more casual, it just means we have to work harder to follow you. So while your on a role, just keep asking away.

All Mail is Gmails archive folder. I am sure you would be aware Google really don't want you to delete mail. That is why they make it so hard.

So once you do not have mail filed in a folder/Label, it is archived. Thunderbird even maps your archive folder to all mail as that is it's purpose.

Personally I think you should just unsubscribe the folder and forget it exists.

Thanks, Matt. I will try to not be a forum geek myself, then ;-)

This does explain the situation, but I'll keep the "All Mail" folder around a little longer, until I can find and correct the mail rule that is deleting this mail. Most of them I actually want to keep!