If you want to delete messages from online, yet keep on your PC, then you want a POP account, not an IMAP one.

OK. But then, why does TB "encourage" or "suggest" we use IMAP? i.e. When we first set up TB, the instructions say "we suggest IMAP". That only makes extra work. So now I have to go through all the work with 3 different gmail accounts to do this. And the instructions are not clear about: ??? Do we create the new POP accounts first, and have 6? And then delete the IMAP accounts? Does that insure that we won't lose any messages that we have on TB? And after we do delete a message from TB, does that mean it's never ever going to be retrieved from gmail should we make a mistake? A question about the Bottom line? If we re-create all accounts to POP. Then, when we download a message from gmail to TB, it disappears from online gmail? And the only place it will remain is on TB? That's not what I want. I want my messages to stay on gmail. Just not keep downloading every time I open TB. Today, I opened TB, downloaded messages from Gmail. And my inbox showed over 700 messages, with about 44 unread and the remaining in grey as "read". I then deleted those 654 unread. And when I downloaded for NEW messages, I got all 700 plus again. My point is that when I delete a message from TB, I want it gone from TB. I don't care one way or another about gmail. Gmail can keep thousands of messages, I don't care what they do. I can go online and delete them. But when I do, it takes forever because gmail don't allow you so sort the read from the unread like TB does. So apparently the problem is with gmail and not TB. But everyone knows how easy it is to get gmail to tell me what to fix. Can someone here with TB tell me what to do online with gmail? What steps? Or is there a video on YouTube? Those I can usually follow.

Your latest post contradicts your first post. You want messages saved online, but removable on PC. To do that, you need POP, and set the account to not delete messages from server. Then, to delete (or recover) any messages, you would need to log onto online account. You can create POP accounts alongside the IMAP accounts and then delete the IMAP accounts afterwards.

I apologize. I am a total mess when it comes to PC's. Especially with gmail vs Thunderbird. And I am confused with this thread and your suggestions. I know it's because I'm not clear. I open TB, the inbox has 44 unread, and the all mail is 700 messages. Of which 44unread/same as the inbox. But the other 656 are grey/as read. So I delete the 656. I then read and process the 44. When done, the inbox is empty, and the all mail has 44/read. After a while, when I "get messages", those 656 reappear in the all mail file. So I delete them again. And, after a while, when I "get messages" again, those 656 reappear again. So I delete them again. And this goes on for weeks and months. How can I delete all these messages that I've deleted so many times? I went online to gmail and they are all still there too. And to delete them on gmail, I have to go and click each and every email that is in grey/read. That takes me a long time, since there are over 700 messages in gmail in the "all mail" file. And that is when those messages disappear from TB/all mail. Why can't I just leave gmail alone, and once a year, clear out messages? But when I delete from TB, they stay deleted? What this means to me is that gmail is going to send all messages to TB even after they are deleted. Don't gmail recognize that they are read and deleted? They are when I view online. So why does TB get them again and again - until I go to gmail and delete them "permanently"? Or is this all normal and just a nuisance? Not the same, but this all happens with junk. I mark messages as junk and they keep coming back again and again. Those are easier because I can move them all to one "junk file" and delete them en mass. Only to have to do this all over day after day. How long does it take TB to learn junk mail and simply not even send to me? Some of the nasty mail is a daily thing that goes on for weeks and weeks. And why does this thread continue to be "closed" and I have to search to reopen it? It is not solved. POP is not the answer. I had tried that POP stuff years ago and both gmail and TB insist on my using IMAP. So don't close this thread! Is David the only one trying to help me?

My suggestion: unsubscribe from allmail folder. That is a folder Gmail maintains and there is no reason you need it. The 'allmail' folder, for example, includes messages that are in the trash. You will survive much better with gmail if you limit your subscriptions to inbox, sent, trash, etc. highlight the account, rightclick and on the subscribe pane, untick allmail.

May I ask a bit more? I did what you suggest. I also unticked a few others I don't need. Important, Starred, Templates & ? Junk. I then went to settings and asked all to send junk to Local Folders/Junk. Is this OK? l figured that if I send all junk to ONE file, I can then, simply click on that. Review to be sure junk is junk and delete the whole file - all junk at one time in one place. I guess this leads to a question. Could I do the same with trash or spam. And in all three cases, Junk, Spam or Trash. I like to check them all to be sure no mistakes are made. I simply review the subjects, senders, etc. and can immediately decide which are to be deleted permanently.

That should work.

Hi

I have the same problem Where should I "unsubscribe from allmail folder." ? In Gmail options or Thunderbird Options ??? Actually TB is downloading 20 150 messages in this allmail folder

AND - I dont know if I have already copied them to my local TB folders; I'm completely confused. - My Gmail account is full (of mails)

Please help