Reading or deleting mail on one account reads/deletes it on another

The explanation about deleting emails in a Gmail account and they disappearing from a forwarded Exchange account using IMAP needs clarification. Here's what you need to look for:

IMAP and Email Deletion:

When you use IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) for both your Gmail and Exchange accounts, deleting an email in one account won't automatically delete it from the other. IMAP treats your email like a mailbox you can access from different devices. Each device (Gmail web app, iPhone mail app) shows a copy of the email, not the original itself. Deleting a copy from one location doesn't affect the copies in other locations.

Understanding the Scenario:

There might be a misunderstanding in the initial scenario. It's possible that:

• The email forwarding rule might be set differently: Perhaps the rule is set to "move" the email instead of copying it. When an email is moved, it's removed from the Gmail inbox but remains in a different folder within Gmail (like a "Sent" folder with forwarding rules). This wouldn't affect the copy on the Exchange server.
• Another email protocol is involved: It's also possible that the Exchange account isn't configured with IMAP but with POP3 (Post Office Protocol). POP3 typically downloads and deletes emails from the server when accessed, which could explain the deletion behavior.

What to Do Next:

1. Review Forwarding Rule: Check how the forwarding rule is set up in Gmail. Is it set to "copy" or "move" emails?
2. Verify Email Protocols: Confirm that both the Gmail and Exchange accounts are configured with IMAP. You can usually find this information in your email settings on both platforms.

If the Issue Persists:

If you've checked the forwarding rule and confirmed IMAP usage for both accounts, there might be a specific configuration on the Exchange server causing the deletion. It's best to contact your Exchange server administrator for further investigation.

Yes this seems to be a new behavior in the last week. In my case, I’m not forwarding emails, but if someone sends an email to both of my email addresses, then if I delete the email from one inbox it immediately deletes it from the other inbox as well. I am attempting to work with tech support as one of those inboxes is shared so by deleting from my personal inbox it’s affecting the shared inbox.

I will update if I get a solution.

But you aren’t alone!