Gmail and Thunderbird - more information here https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/thunderbird-and-gmail 'Subscribe' only the folders you want to see in Thunderbird. See Subscribing to or unsubscribing from folders (labels) which is about half way down the article I linked above. Please report your results.

It says there: "Messages will still be downloaded and available through the "All Mail" folder."

I'm looking for an option where messages outside a certain folder (or folders) will not download at all.

Anyone?

So what happens if you uncheck to not subscribe to All Mail but keep Inbox? I do not like All Mail myself so I have never chosen to have it in TB, so honestly I can't remember how I did that. Possibly need to set Gmail so that All Mail does not show in IMAP? It's really not so much a Thunderbird question as a Gmail question, since Gmail doesn't really have 'folders' but rather uses 'labels' that are then translated to folder in TB. See the answer here https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1315579 - seems to confirm you can do it with the right combination of Gmail setting and TB subscribe.

It's really not so much a Thunderbird question as a Gmail question...

In a Gmail webmail browser tab (open Standard Gmail View, not Basic HTML), choose Settings (show all) - Labels (in top row) to see various folders IMAP showing options.

That's whether to see it in the label list on the left side of the screen or not.

Ok if you want help you need to stop being so rude. Did you actually LOOK at the Gmail settings? Remove the check marks from the Show in IMAP option for each label you wish to suppress within your IMAP-based email client. I use Gmail daily, and other email services, and Thunderbird obviously. You can wait for someone else to help.

Whatever.

Showing setting exists in Gmail.

He's using old Gmail basic HTML view. :) I also prefer it for simplicity, but the Settings choise is quite limited. Can't find how to make it permanent in webUI.

He's using old Gmail basic HTML view. :)

AgnesRM said

It's really not so much a Thunderbird question as a Gmail question...

There's no choices on which folders/labels to download, only about setting a number limit which isn't what I'm looking for.

Yes there is https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#settings/labels

Hi Matt - that's a neat link!! I posted a picture earlier of those IMAP settings in Gmail - showing a column on the far right to choose specific folders/labels for download when using IMAP. Just wondered whether you have IMAP "on" and see that added column yourself? The OP claims they do not see the same screen as the image I posted. Then went quiet so maybe has figured it out.

I am far from an expert in Google, but I assume the discussion about the basic view was correct. Hence the silence.

Just an FYI, once you get into all Settings at Google all the links are like that and translate well to posting. Outlook does a similar thing and this link is very hand for users to confirm settings on Outlook, including that POP is allowed. https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/options/mail/accounts