Ok I think you need to seriously rethink your strategy. IMAP is NOT going to work for you to do what you are attempting to do.

IMAP is fundamentally different to POP and you need to change your view of mail stored locally to something more akin to a temporary cache rather than a discrete local copy of something that you originally downloaded from a server.

You can still have you local folder and you can still copy and move mail to them, but your IMAP mail account can not form a part of your local folders.

Thank you Matt, I appreciate your time and response. Let me clarify. Although I am still getting used to the IMAP concept, I believe I understand the basics, and the following will explain why I decided to switch to IMAP from POP3.

DESKTOP: My primary workhouse computer is a desktop, where I wish to continue to keep long-term copies of selected emails in the Local Folders repository (along with permanent backups of that folder to other backup sites). I understand I will only be able to do this on that single desktop computer. LAPTOP: From time to time, when I am away from my desktop traveling etc., I also wish to check the same server's email with an IMAP Thunderbird account on my laptop, and can act on and delete unneeded email where possible, while leaving some of the email on the server for eventual final action on the desktop IMAP Thunderbird account, including possibly saving some to Local Folders where indicated.

It is not my intention to keep email long-term on the server, it either will be deleted or will be copied to local desktop storage in Local Folders, etc.

I hope this makes my current plan seem more logical.

Meanwhile, I am still concerned about the question I asked about the desktop Thunderbird IMAP Local Folders account vs. the Local Directory for the same desktop IMAP account. I.e., can and will the desktop Thunderbird IMAP Local Folders be the same one used by the former desktop POP3 account, provided that Account Settings > Local Folders for the desktop IMAP account still points to the same desired desktop data drive directory, (K:\...\Thunderbird\Local Folders), as the former desktop POP3 account did?

Perhaps the answer is obvious, but it is important for me to be certain.

Cordially, Michael M.

"Local folders" works as an account. It is separate from other accounts. There is only one "local folders". Your IMAP account in Thunderbird does not have its own local folders, and any other account that you have, have had, or will have will not have their own local folders either. Local folders remain the same no matter how other accounts come and go. So, yes, you should be able to keep the storage location for local folders the same.

Thank you, Rick, this clarification is reassuring. The term "Account" seems to be a bit confusing, but all is good.