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User profile for user: worksfromhome
worksfromhome Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

mac mail downloaded and removed all email from third party server

I set up my new MacBook Air by using a Time Machine backup from my old iMac, but when I opened the mail app on my MacBook, it downloaded all the email from my third party provider, and deleted all the messages from that server. Previously it was set to sync across devices. Now, all the messages that were on my phone are gone because they were removed from the server. I can't figure out how to stop the download and delete from server, nor how to restore the missing messages on my phone.


Any help is appreciated. thank you!

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Oct 4, 2020 4:46 PM

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User profile for user: Halliday
Halliday
User level: Level 4
2,677 points

Posted on Oct 4, 2020 5:06 PM

Welcome, worksfromhome, to Apple Support Communities!


You recently set up a new MacBook Air, and you have Apple Mail accessing a third party email service provider.


Once you had it set up, and accessed your third party email server, Apple Mail appears to have downloaded all the emails, from that server, and deleted them from that server, so none of your other devices can see those emails, now.


Have I got that all correct?


Of course, I cannot be certain, and I’m not sure why your email server setting may have been changed, but the behavior you are describing is completely consistent with your third party email server having been set up as a POP server, rather than an IMAP server.


POP emeil servers are intended to have all the emails removed by your e-mail client (like Apple Mail), rather than being left on the POP server.


IMAP e-mail servers are intended to have the e-mail client leave the emails on the IMAP server.


Could you please double check your email server settings, for the account in question?

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User profile for user: Halliday
Halliday
User level: Level 4
2,677 points

Oct 4, 2020 5:06 PM in response to worksfromhome

Welcome, worksfromhome, to Apple Support Communities!


You recently set up a new MacBook Air, and you have Apple Mail accessing a third party email service provider.


Once you had it set up, and accessed your third party email server, Apple Mail appears to have downloaded all the emails, from that server, and deleted them from that server, so none of your other devices can see those emails, now.


Have I got that all correct?


Of course, I cannot be certain, and I’m not sure why your email server setting may have been changed, but the behavior you are describing is completely consistent with your third party email server having been set up as a POP server, rather than an IMAP server.


POP emeil servers are intended to have all the emails removed by your e-mail client (like Apple Mail), rather than being left on the POP server.


IMAP e-mail servers are intended to have the e-mail client leave the emails on the IMAP server.


Could you please double check your email server settings, for the account in question?

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User profile for user: worksfromhome
worksfromhome Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Oct 4, 2020 8:07 PM in response to Halliday

You have everything correct. I checked the settings, and everything is set for imap in my phone, but I just checked the server settings for the email account on my MacBook, and it is set as pop. I tried to edit it to imap, but it won’t change the type. I can add a new account as imap, but all my emails are downloaded in the pop folder.


I’m going to try creating the imap folder, then copying everything into it.

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mac mail downloaded and removed all email from third party server

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