Best Methods to Fix Thunderbird Cannot Delete Messages Issue

When you delete a message in Thunderbird, it isn’t deleted immediately. It moves to another folder in Thunderbird, i.e., Trash or Bin and stays there for a specific time period. However, the Thunderbird cannot delete message problem arises when you delete an email and it wasn’t moved to the Trash or Bin folder.

When deletion fails, it can disrupt workflow and even cause risk for data management. This blog provides the best solutions to deal with the Thunderbird won’t delete message issue, along with its reasons.

Reasons why Thunderbird won’t delete messages?

Here are some reasons listed why Thunderbird won’t delete messages:

• Improper IMAP settings
• Trash folder corruption
• Deleted messages are hidden
• Problematic add-ons
• Outdated Thunderbird Version
• Antivirus interference
• Server synchronization issue
• Work offline mode enabled

Quick Tips to Fix Thunderbird Cannot Delete Messages Issue

Here are some quick tips that you can try to fix the Thunderbird cannot delete messages issue before moving to the manual methods:

• Make sure you have stable and strong internet connectivity.
• The version of Thunderbird you are using is up to date.
• Try turning off third-party add-ons and antivirus software.
• Restart your Thunderbird and system, then see if the issue persists.
• Make sure work offline mode is disabled.

Manual Methods to Fix Thunderbird Cannot Delete Messages

Follow the below-mentioned manual methods to fix the “Thunderbird cannot delete messages” issue:

Method 1. Restart Thunderbird in troubleshooting mode

Sometimes, add-ons and custom themes may cause some issues in Thunderbird. You can try restarting Thunderbird in troubleshooting mode. Here is how you can do it:

Step 1. Launch Thunderbird and click on the Help option, then click Troubleshoot Mode.

Step 2. Restart in Troubleshoot Mode dialogue box will appear, click on the Restart button.

Step 3. Select Disable all add-ons and click on Continue in Troubleshoot Mode.

Step 4. Restart Thunderbird and go to the Help option, then select Turn Troubleshoot Mode Off.

Method 2. Fix the corrupt trash folder

There might be a chance that the trash folder is corrupted or damaged. Follow the steps mentioned below to delete the trash folder:

Step 1. Click on the Help option, then click on Troubleshooting Information.

Step 2. Under Application Basics, look for Profile Folder and click the Open Folder option.

Step 3. Double-click on the Mail folder.

Step 4. Select Trash folder(s) and delete them.

Later, restart the Thunderbird application and see if the emails are deleted or not.

Method 3. Verify account settings (For IMAP)

If your IMAP server settings are incorrect, then it may also cause Thunderbird won’t delete messages issue. Make sure all the settings are proper with the following methods:

Step 1. Open Thunderbird and right-click on your profile, then select the Settings option.

Step 2. Go to Server Settings and verify the following settings there:

• Check for new messages at startup is enabled.
• Check for new messages every X minutes is enabled.
• Under When I delete a message, the Move it to this folder is set to Bin.

Method 4. Create a new Thunderbird profile

If none of the above methods work, then you can try to create a new Thunderbird profile. Follow the steps below to create a new profile in Thunderbird:

Step 1. Press Windows+R keys on your keyboard to open the Run wizard, then type thunderbird.exe -p and click OK.

Step 2. Click on the Create Profile option.

Step 3. A new wizard will appear on the screen. Click Next.

Step 4. Provide a name in the Enter new profile name field, then click Next.

Step 5. Select the newly created profile and click Start Thunderbird.

You can try setting up your email account to test if the issue is resolved.

What to do if the issue doesn't resolve?

If the issue doesn’t resolve even after trying the methods mentioned above, there might be a possibility that the Thunderbird application is having problems. An unresponsive or corrupted Thunderbird could be the reason why Thunderbird cannot delete messages. Considering a dedicated MBOX Converter tool is recommended in such situations.

EmailXport MBOX Converter is a brilliant software to convert MBOX file without any data loss. The tool offers a wide range of 100% secure and reliable output formats to save data. Additionally, it comes with a free trial version, which allows you to convert and save 25 items per MBOX folder.

Conclusion

Thunderbird cannot delete message is a prevalent issue faced by many users. The methods that we discussed in this article are verified by the Mozilla community to ensure a 100% error-free process.

However, if these methods fail in resolving the issue, then it is advised to use a professional tool to convert Thunderbird MBOX files to some other reliable file format. Hence, we have recommended a feature-rich MBOX Converter which can easily convert your files into 100% secure formats.