Nathaniel Childs

Q: iPad 2 not deleting emails from server

This is an intermittent problem that has been causing trouble for several years. We have an independent POP account which we use with a Macbook Pro, an iPad 2, and my Android phone. The iPad is set to delete emails from the server when deleted from the iPad inbox and some of the time this works -- but frequently, deleted emails are reloaded even after repeated deletions including emptying of trash. This morning over 300 have been reloaded after a couple of attempts to get rid of them. The iPad is up to date with all of its software and we can't find anything on this end that could be causing the problem. I never have this problem with the Mac -- deleted emails are always gone so it seems the problem can't be with our internet service provider.

iPad 2, iOS 9.3.1, null

Posted on Apr 18, 2016 12:35 PM

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Q: iPad 2 not deleting emails from server

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  • by Pmintz25,Helpful

    Pmintz25 Pmintz25 Apr 18, 2016 5:59 PM in response to Nathaniel Childs
    Level 4 (1,664 points)
    Apr 18, 2016 5:59 PM in response to Nathaniel Childs

    This may help. By default, iOS Mail doesn't delete from the server until a week has passed, even though the email is removed from the iOS device.

     

    I would contact your email provider if you continue to have issues, especially for years. Emails coming back means they are still on the email provider's server, and they may be preventing you from removing them from the server.

     

    Get help if you have issues using a POP email account with more than one device - Apple Support

     

    Also, if your email provider supports it, change your account to IMAP

  • by Nathaniel Childs,

    Nathaniel Childs Nathaniel Childs Apr 18, 2016 1:28 PM in response to Pmintz25
    Level 1 (14 points)
    iPad
    Apr 18, 2016 1:28 PM in response to Pmintz25

    The iPad was instructed in settings, mail, asis.com account, advanced, to delete emails from the server when they are removed from the iPad inbox, and some of the time this works -- or it has appeared to. I've just had a conversation with our ISP and it turns out there are over 3000 emails stored on their server dating back to 2012 -- so perhaps it's never actually worked and part of the mystery is why it ever appeared to. They're purging all emails there up to April 1st which should reduce the problem but not solve it as they can see no reason for it to be happening. They have an iPad there and they've just tested to see if deleting an email from it removes it from their server and it did. I'm hoping you or another clever knowledgeable software person will be able to help! And I thank you for your response!

  • by ShagCA,

    ShagCA ShagCA Apr 18, 2016 2:48 PM in response to Nathaniel Childs
    Level 4 (2,137 points)
    iPad
    Apr 18, 2016 2:48 PM in response to Nathaniel Childs

    I can only suggest removing asis mail account from your iPad and adding it back on. Now that your mailbox have significantly reduced to almost nothing but April 1, 2016, I'm hoping that the deletion problem will be resolved.

     

    I checked asis website for IMAP support. If the following is your ISP, it doesn't look like they support IMAP:

    http://www.asis.com/support/

     

    In fact, it looks like their website has not been updated for 20+ years. They still have an article on how to setup Internet Explorer 3 email.

  • by Nathaniel Childs,

    Nathaniel Childs Nathaniel Childs Apr 18, 2016 3:03 PM in response to ShagCA
    Level 1 (14 points)
    iPad
    Apr 18, 2016 3:03 PM in response to ShagCA

    OK, I can see that removing and adding back the asis account might do it -- but I need to be sure that deleting that account won't delete emails currently stored on the iPad. It's my wife's device and she has some 3000 emails stored on it that she doesn't want to lose. Do you know if those emails will be safe if I delete the account?

     

    Thanks again!

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Apr 18, 2016 3:17 PM in response to Nathaniel Childs
    Level 7 (20,519 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 18, 2016 3:17 PM in response to Nathaniel Childs

    The only way you can be sure nothing is lost, is if on the computer your wife is using, you save the emails on the local drive. If it's a Mac, it would be creating an On My Mac mailboxes, then copying the emails there.

  • by Nathaniel Childs,

    Nathaniel Childs Nathaniel Childs Apr 18, 2016 5:51 PM in response to Rysz
    Level 1 (14 points)
    iPad
    Apr 18, 2016 5:51 PM in response to Rysz

    I've created an imap account and enabled it, disabled but didn't delete the pop account and we'll see if messages deleted from the inbox are now gone from the server. If i re-enable the pop account I see that all the old messages are still there -- but doing so gets it to downloading new messages which I only want to do in the imap account. Is there a way to look at the pop account without downloading new messages to it?

  • by ShagCA,

    ShagCA ShagCA Apr 19, 2016 8:39 AM in response to Nathaniel Childs
    Level 4 (2,137 points)
    iPad
    Apr 19, 2016 8:39 AM in response to Nathaniel Childs

    Nathaniel Childs wrote:

     

    OK, I can see that removing and adding back the asis account might do it -- but I need to be sure that deleting that account won't delete emails currently stored on the iPad. It's my wife's device and she has some 3000 emails stored on it that she doesn't want to lose. Do you know if those emails will be safe if I delete the account?

    Be careful with POP account. Since messages are downloaded to your device, the content will be gone when you delete the account. Unless you have another copy of her mailbox content located on a different device, you will definitely lose everything if you delete the account.