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Can I configure TB to automatically remove deleted messages older than a month?

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by John Grant

John Grant
John Grant
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I've recently moved from Apple Mail to Thunderbird. I had Apple Mail configured to "permanently erase deleted messages when one month old" (under Accounts | Mailbox Behaviors). That lets me get back a recently-deleted message if I find I want it after all, but stops the trash box getting too big. I'd like Thunderbird to do the same, rather than waiting until the trash box is a certain size and then erasing everything.

I've recently moved from Apple Mail to Thunderbird. I had Apple Mail configured to "permanently erase deleted messages when one month old" (under Accounts | Mailbox Behaviors). That lets me get back a recently-deleted message if I find I want it after all, but stops the trash box getting too big. I'd like Thunderbird to do the same, rather than waiting until the trash box is a certain size and then erasing everything.

Chosen solution

Right-click a folder, Properties, then adjust the setting on the Retention Policy tab.

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Corey 'linuxmodder' Sheldon
Corey 'linuxmodder' Sheldon
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Yes.

In the email account > View Settings >

Sync & Storage > Disk Space


The top section is how much you want to sync up from your IMAP server the lower part deals with deleting synced data after some period of time ( check that which defaults to 30 days)

John Grant
John Grant Question owner
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Won't that remove *all* older messages? I only want to remove them from the Deleted mailbox, not the Inbox. The copies on the remote server are configured to be removed after a day, so that's not an issue.

BTW it's a POP mailbox, not IMAP, but I don't think that makes any difference.

John Grant
John Grant Question owner
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OK, so I can set it up separately for the Deleted folder. And it's actually a separate folder, not (as in Apple Mail) simply things in the inbox that are marked for deletion. Now I know. Thank you.