Delete mail across all devices

gjlynch wrote:

Thanks MrHoffman - so is the only way to handle this look for IMAP settings for the account, and if they only have POP we're stuck with it...unless we don't have mail open on all devices at the same time....?

Unless the defaults are locally overridden on the mail server you’re using or the mail client you’re using, POP downloads data to the first mail client that requests the data, subsequent requests can get s no-such-message error, and which means you’re already in trouble with your messages and message storage, just as soon as there’s a second mail client accessing the mail messages,. POP is generally not what I’d recommend using.

I like to back up my emails to a folder on an eternal drive that I don’t need but might need to reference one day. Personally I have found creating a folder in mail on the local hard drive to regularly dump them before backing them up. Especially with large amounts of emails being moved to the off iCloud folder it could take a few minutes. Then trash them and empty the trash to delete them from from the cloud. It can take a little while to sync with each device but they will automatically delete them within a short time too.

If the mail message is stored on the mail server, deleting the message deletes it everywhere.

If the mail message is stored per-device, it must be deleted per-device.

IMAP defaults to storing messages on the mail server.

POP runs a race to download the mail message to the fastest client.

Thanks MrHoffman - so is the only way to handle this look for IMAP settings for the account, and if they only have POP we're stuck with it...unless we don't have mail open on all devices at the same time....?

DiagnosedCrazy-ItsOK wrote:

I like to back up my emails to a folder on an eternal drive that I don’t need but might need to reference one day. Personally I have found creating a folder in mail on the local hard drive to regularly dump them before backing them up. Especially with large amounts of emails being moved to the off iCloud folder it could take a few minutes. Then trash them and empty the trash to delete them from from the cloud. It can take a little while to sync with each device but they will automatically delete them within a short time too.

The On My Mac folders are local to that Mac, and can be used to archive messages you no longer wish to maintain on the mail server. Most (all?) mail clients on Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD, and other platforms offer something similar with their mail clients.

Though less often used, iPhone and iPad can archive locally too, but the available local device storage tends to be more constrained for many users.

Apple offers something similar for iCloud users, archiving the data on iCloud servers: Archive email in Mail on iCloud.com - Apple Support

My thumb drive back up filing system 😂 Everyone laughs at me for it but it has really saved me over the years

I normally just archive them to a folder titled the date range of the emails on a thumb drive. I never knew that was even an option! Thank you for sharing that with me.