I am confused on how you currently receive messages for the account. You are distinguishing the webmail provider from the provider. Please explain.

I’m referring to one web Mail provider – when I hit “get messages” in Thunderbird, the emails show up in a Thunderbird account (but not in the local account as they used to), and also stay on the web!

That 'sounds like' an IMAP account. My inference is that the account is working properly, but the messages appear under the account name and not under Local Folders? Please clarify in detail, if possible. What you describe is normal for IMAP. I suggest you click 'account settings', highlight the 'server settings' in left sidebar for the account and see what is written in upper part of right side of screen. I think it will say 'IMAP Mail Server.' Please verify and respond. Are you wanting the messages to appear in your PC when offline? Or after you close the account? Please be specific, as some suggestions could delete what you want to keep. For example, with an IMAP account, messages are on the PC, but ONLY as long as you have them on the server account. Thank you

Thank you for staying in touch. And for your patience. You are correct. The new account set up by my web provider when I called about emails no longer downloading from web mail (as of Feb 4 - I was out of town, so was late to address the issue, while still receiving emails on my iPhone apple account). I want to switch back to receiving all the emails onto my local folder. I want the messages to stay on my computer (whether on or off line) and not on the web provider's site. The synchronizing is driving my crazy, plus I want to use my folder structure to save important messages for future reference. I would want to save some of the messages currently on the IMAP account. Maybe in changing the account format, they would stay on my Apple Mail used on the iPhone? Till this new IMAP set up, those would move to my local account on my PC when I opened Thunderbird on the PC and off the Apple Mail on the iPhone. Now they stay on that iPhone account as well. Is this clearly stated? Why would the local account stop functioning as of Feb 4, or after that (while I was away) - could it be the result of a Thunderbird update?

Just to be clear: the webmail account and what is on your PC is the same account. It will help ensuring we're using the same words if you would post what is on your 'server setting' pane. It will say either 'IMAP mail server' or 'POP mail server'. To see it, click 'account settings' and then click the 'server settings' for the account. Everything I write here assumes it says IMAP.

If you want all messages on PC and not on server, the only choice is POP. When you click to get messages, the messages will download to PC and be removed from server. If you later wish to read messages on your phone, they will not be there. If you have the phone set for IMAP, you can read messages FIRST on the phone, but if you read messages on PC first, then they will have been removed. If you are using IMAP and have a folder structure, that structure will not be accessible with a POP account, but you can create a new structure on PC for future messages.

You mentioned two accounts. My guess is that the provider stopped using POP and now uses IMAP. Is one account the old POP account and you also have an IMAP account for same email address? Seeing specifics would help. If the provider switched from POP to IMAP, is setting up POP even allowed. Maybe if you posted screenshots of the server settings pane for both accounts, that may help.

I think you have it figured out and I'm ready to proceed. Yes, the old "local" account that stopped receiving was a POP account and the new one installed upon the instructions of the webmail provider (Videotron in Quebec) is IMAP. And now I understand the account on my iPhone which is (or was, I'll check) set for IMAP. That's how I want it. When I download the messages to the computer, I want them off the iPhone. Videotron, the provider does still provide POP format - but seems to think iMAP is more modern. Since the new IMAP account is recent, no folders have been set up. So nothing to lose by cancelling. Thanks so much for your assist - I will call the provider and see if the old account can be reinstated in POP format and start receiving messages from the server again when I request they be downloaded. Or can you suggest how I can do that, rather then set up a whole new POP account?

If you still have the POP account, you may be fine. The question is whether POP is even allowed by that provider. Yes, contact to verify.

Hi I can continue to use POP format but the provider (Videotron) is no longer supporting it. I did switch the new iMap account to POP but it doesn't function as before, that is, downloaded messages are not deleted from the server and apple accounts. So it seems I have to make do and adjust. Grr. I will continue using Thunderbird. The web mail site is clumsy. Perhaps Thunderbird has a work around for this? I am able to move messages from the iMap account into 1 of my local folders, and it stays there even when I delete it from web mail. That's a plus - not necessary to set up new files. But it remains on the provider's website, so need to delete it from there. Might Thunderbird have another suggestion for downloading and removing email messages from the provider web site? Is this common that web mail providers are no longer providing pop formats? Thanks for your help.

The IMAP decision is the provider's. If you prefer a POP account, you might consider switching. I think Outlook.com and gmx.com still offer POP. BUT, with IMAP, the messages are actually on the PC. If you shut down internet, you will likely find the messages are still there. The difference for IMAP is that, should you delete a message, it is also deleted from the server. I use IMAP and prefer it because I can also access from my phone or ever a public PC at local public library. It's a matter of choice. Copying to local folders and deleting from server works, but that useful only if you plan to shut the account down