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How to Remove Old Mail Automatically in Mozilla Thunderbird

Effortlessly clean up your email account

By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 21, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Yahoo! Mail Gmail

What to Know

For one folder, go to Folder Properties > Retention Policy > Delete messages more than __ days old > enter time > OK.For an entire account, go to Preferences > Account Settings > Delete all but the most recent __ messages > enter number > OK. This article explains how to remove old mail from a folder or an entire account automatically in Mozilla Thunderbird 68 or higher on Windows 10, 8, or 7; Mac OS X 10.9 or higher; and GNU/LINUX.

Remove Old Mail Automatically From a Folder

You can configure Thunderbird to delete old messages in every folder in Mozilla automatically. What is useful for the Trash folders is also great for RSS feeds, for example. Right-click the desired folder. Select Properties from the menu. Go to the Retention Policy tab. Make sure Use server defaults or Use my account settings are not checked. Select either Delete all but the most recent __ messages (or Delete all but the last __ messages) or Delete messages more than __ days old. Typically, make sure Always keep starred messages is checked; this allows for an easy way to preserve emails. Enter the desired time or message count. Keeping about 30 days or 900 messages in a Trash folder usually works fine. Even for something like your default inbox, 182 days (around 6 months) can work. Select OK.

Remove Old Mail Automatically for an Entire Account

Set a default policy for an account where Mozilla Thunderbird deletes old emails across folders in the account. Keep in mind that messages you want to keep might inadvertently be deleted with this setting. Select Preferences > Account Settings from the Mozilla Thunderbird menu. You can also select Tools > Account Settings (Windows, Mac) or Edit > Account Settings (Linux) from the menu. For local folders and POP email accounts, go to the Disk Space category for the desired account (or Local Folders). For IMAP email accounts, go to the Synchronization & Storage category for the desired account in the Account Settings window. Make sure you checked Delete all but the most recent __ messages or Delete messages more than __ days old. If prompted, select OK in the Confirm permanent, automatic deletion of messages dialog. Click OK. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Select Where Sent Messages Are Kept in Mozilla How to Purge Deleted Messages Automatically in Outlook How to Purge Deleted Outlook Email How to Repair Folders in Mozilla Thunderbird How to View Full Message Headers in Mozilla Thunderbird Archive Old Mail in Outlook and Keep the PST File Small How to Empty Deleted Items and Junk Folders Fast in Outlook.com How to Compose Messages in HTML or Plain Text How to Pick Folders to Push in iPhone Mail How to Mark All Messages as Read Quickly in Mozilla Thunderbird How to Hide Strikethrough Messages in Outlook How to Auto Empty Trash in Outlook How to Group Messages by Thread in Mac Mail Program How to Find Your Mozilla Thunderbird Profile Directory How to Empty the Trash in Mail for macOS Back Up or Copy a Mozilla Thunderbird Profile Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies