Thunderbird deletes old mails - what to do?
When Mozilla Thunderbird deletes old mails without being asked, it is usually due to incorrect settings. We will show you how to configure the mail client correctly.
Prevent Thunderbird from being deleted automatically
To save space, Thunderbird deletes old emails after a few days. You can switch off this function at any time:
- Start Thunderbird and click on the three horizontal bars at the top right.
- Select "Settings" and in the submenu "Account Settings".
- A new window is opening up. Switch to the "Synchronization & storage space" tab.
- In the "Delete old messages" box, check "No messages" (see screenshot).
Repair a broken inbox and find "deleted" mails
If the above settings don't work, your mail account summary file is likely corrupted. But don't worry, you can fix it quickly:
- Right-click your inbox and choose Properties.
- Click "Repair" and wait for Thunderbird to reload all emails.
- Now the apparently deleted emails should be visible again.
With a little luck, your deleted emails can also be restored. This works for example with Hotmail, GMX, Web.de, GMail and Windows Live Mail.