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For many years I've got a complete mess in my GMail account.

I've decided to organize this account, though I cannot to this, because the default (web) interface and management tools of GMail are useless. So the first step, was to integrate my GMail account with the Mozilla Thunderbird client.

My question is: If I'll take an action in my Thunderbird client (such as deleting messages from the Inbox folder), it will effect my default GMail account?

If I'll delete message XYZ from Thunderbird, I won't see the message in the default GMail web client? (mail.gmail.com)

Actually?.. I have to say that this question is a bit rhetorical, because it seem that messages won't be deleted from the main Google client, and it's not good for me.

Though new messages (after the complete setup and integration of Mozilla Thunderbird with GMail), will be completely deleted from my account.

How can I effect old messages as well?

Thanks!

EDIT:

Solved! I feel really stupid right now... Refreshing the Gmail web client page shows me that the inbox is clear of the deleted messages (using TB) Thank you very much for your help!

Matan Eldan
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2 Answers2

5

Some additions:

  • Deleting a mail from Trash - even using the GMail web interface - doesn't delete the message completely. It remains still available in "All mail". AFAIK the "All mail" folder is available as IMAP folder in thunderbird, too.
  • Deleting a mail completely requires deleting it from "All mail", too, but that makes also the corresponding entry in contacts disappear. This way, if you want to keep the contacts, you're indirectly forced to keep the messages in "All mail", too. GMail displays a warning message if you try to remove Mails from "All mail", but it seems there is no other way to completely remove mails.
tohuwawohu
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4

My question is: If I'll take an action in my Thunderbird client (such as deleting messages from the Inbox folder), it will effect my default GMail account?

Yes, if you set up the account with IMAP, both will be synchronized. Your Thunderbird client will display every Gmail label as a folder, thus moving messages in a folder means "applying a label" in Gmail. All changes you make are almost instantaneously visible in the web client too.

If I'll delete message XYZ from Thunderbird, I won't see the message in the default GMail web client? (mail.gmail.com)

If you delete a message in Thunderbird, it will be moved to a folder you set (preferably the Gmail Trash folder). Because of that you will still be able to see it in the Gmail web client, under "Trash".

In order to completely delete messages, you will have to clean out the GMail trash, of course.

Though new messages (after the complete setup and integration of Mozilla Thunderbird with GMail), will be completely deleted from my account.

What exactly are you meaning with new messages? Note that there is nothing changing when you use Thunderbird – messages will still land in your inbox.

How can I effect old messages as well?

What do you mean with "effect"? You will be able to see all your messages in the folders once you set up Thunderbird, which means you can always use its search function and batch move/delete messages, et cetera.

For more details about how to set up Thunderbird, see the following pages:

slhck
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