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POP3 to IMAP conversion

Thunderbird Installation and updates
Wolfgang replied 4 years ago
Wolfgang
Wolfgang

After a recent suicide attempt by my Windows 10 computer, I had to reinstall Thunderbird. That is when I saw I had been using the old POP3 and wanted to convert to IMAP. In my Profiles, I made a new one and setup everything in that mode. I still have the POP3 profile. However, I did not see any of the files from my old profile in my new profile Inbox. I use T-bird for business and there is a huge amount of valuable data in all those emails, well over 500, so just sending them to myself one at a time is not a viable option. From what I have read in the KB and such, it is my understanding that if I have an IMAP profile already setup and then delete the old POP3 profile, all those files from the old POP3 will be automatically be sent to my new Inbox. Since these emails are so valuable, I want to be absolutely certain that my understanding is correct before I delete the old profile.

Can anyone state for certain that the old files will be transferred to the new profile?

I am sure you can appreciate my hesitancy in this matter. Thank you, Wolfgang

After a recent suicide attempt by my Windows 10 computer, I had to reinstall Thunderbird. That is when I saw I had been using the old POP3 and wanted to convert to IMAP. In my Profiles, I made a new one and setup everything in that mode. I still have the POP3 profile. However, I did not see any of the files from my old profile in my new profile Inbox. I use T-bird for business and there is a huge amount of valuable data in all those emails, well over 500, so just sending them to myself one at a time is not a viable option. From what I have read in the KB and such, it is my understanding that if I have an IMAP profile already setup and then delete the old POP3 profile, all those files from the old POP3 will be automatically be sent to my new Inbox. Since these emails are so valuable, I want to be absolutely certain that my understanding is correct before I delete the old profile. '''''Can anyone state for certain that the old files will be transferred to the new profile?''''' I am sure you can appreciate my hesitancy in this matter. Thank you, Wolfgang

All Replies (2)

david
david
  • Top 10 Contributor

The probable reason that the messages in the POP account are not in the IMAP account is because most POP accounts are set up to periodically delete from the server. So, when you set up an IMAP account, those messages have been deleted; that's why you don't see them. If you want them in the IMAP account, you can right-click and move them there (although I would suggest using COPY in case you encounter difficulties). OR, just keep the POP mail folders for future reference. BUT, to be clear, deleting the POP account will NOT cause the messages to automatically appear in IMAP.

Wolfgang
Wolfgang Question owner

Thanks for the definitive answer to the auto-transfer from POP3 to IMAP!

The other question related to this is to find a way to copy the emails from the old POP3 Inbox to the IMAP Inbox. The POP3 emails are stored on my computer, so I do have them, just can't see them. When I look at any of the Inboxes, it shows only one rather large file and not the individual emails themselves. As I understand it, there are ways of getting the individual emails (I think they are in a *.eml format) to show so that I can move them to the IMAP Inbox and then have everything under one roof so to speak.

So, anyone know of a way to accomplish this or any other suggestions?

Any info on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Wolfgang