I want to save an IMAP via POP3 account in Thunderbird, but it will not download old emails that are still on the server. How can I do this?

I start using Thunderbird to save and purge old e-mails from an account via POP3. This account is accessible by other users using IMAP on their computers and mobile phones.

I want to archive and purge old messages from the server using Thunderbird. But it will not download messages that apparently are marked as read on the server via IMAP.

POP mail accounts must be configured to "leave messages on server".
Check this box before use.

  • Tools > account settings > server for the e-mail account settings

or

  • menu icon > Options > account settings > server for the e-mail account settings

Select: 'leave messages on the server.

Optional: select: "during the more than xx days" this will remove something more that select the specified number of days "until I have delete" when you delete an email it will be deleted from the server.

Click Ok to save the settings.

POP mail accounts are only looking at the Inbox and download everything that has not been previously downloaded regardless of whether it has been read or not. They cannot access or download from any other folder on the server.

If you want to download the e-mail messages in other directories, you must move the emails in the Inbox to upload and it's may not be practical in your situation.

What you can do is to synchronize your IMAP folders to a copy downloaded to your IMAP e-mail account.
Then switch mode 'offline' to stop any additional synchronization synchronized files update.
MozBackup tool could now be used to save the profile synchronization created mbox files that contain emails.

You can also do the following to get a copy outside the IMAP e-mail account:
Create the same folders in the "local folders".
Then right click on the email and "copy to" and select local folders and the folder you need.
Put a copy in the local files means these e-mails are also on your computer and they are not influenced by what you do in the IMAP folder.
You need backup emails in these folders.
See info:

MozBackup:

ImportExporttool:

Tags: Thunderbird

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