Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Thunderbird deletes from Trash without warning or confirmation

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by Tanya T.

more options

I want to be prompted when deleting old email from Trash, but Thunderbird deletes without prompting or warning. I found several posts about this problem online, but none of the solutions works for me. Specifically, one said to set mailnews.emptyTrash.dontAskAgain to false. It's already false for me. Another said to set mail.warn_on_delete_from_trash to true. It's already true for me.

Is there something else to try?

I'm using TB 91.4.1.

I want to be prompted when deleting old email from Trash, but Thunderbird deletes without prompting or warning. I found several posts about this problem online, but none of the solutions works for me. Specifically, one said to set '''mailnews.emptyTrash.dontAskAgain''' to '''false'''. It's already '''false '''for me. Another said to set '''mail.warn_on_delete_from_trash''' to '''true'''. It's already '''true '''for me. Is there something else to try? I'm using TB 91.4.1.

All Replies (3)

more options

the setting cover what you right click the trash folder and select empty trash. There is nothing except undo (ctrl+Z) if you delete something from the trash folder you think you should not. The prompt for the "empty trash item is because there is no undo for that command.

more options

Sorry, I'm not sure I entirely understand your answer, but it gave me enough of a hint that I was able to figure out what to do. I have two email accounts and am using "unified folders" to display them as one. With this configuration, all deleted mail shows up under "Trash" but there is no "empty trash" item in the right-click menu for the "Trash" folder. Instead, I must right-click each account's subfolder under "Trash". When I select "empty trash" for these subfolders I do get the confirmation dialogue that I expect.

In contrast, if I click on "Trash", then select emails at right and press DELETE (which is what I'd been doing previously), selected emails are instantly deleted without prompting. This seems like a bug to me (different behavior on DELETE depending on which folder's selected). Or at best it's confusing and unexpected behavior. But at least I now know what to do. Thanks.

more options

I have similar. TB 91.X puts legit messages into trash. I have neurological issues & thought I was unintentionally deleting but doubtful. It's not a learning issue since TB does this randomly. It also includes spam / bulk. When I installed TB there was a dialogue box asking if I’m sure I want to … with a check box with ~something like don’t show this again which I selected. I’d like it back; or a way to direct trash messages to a different folder THANX