How to Prevent Server from Syncing Deleted IMAP Emails

“Imagine you deleted an email on your iPhone and later checked for the same account on your computer. The email is not there, which makes you ask, “Is your server syncing deleted IMAP emails iPhone?” This happens because IMAP copies every action on all devices.”

While using IMAP, emails are stored on the server and synced across all devices. It makes the management easier. However, sometimes server syncing the deleted IMAP emails can cause users to lose important messages. This happens only when you perform a delete on a device, and it reflects to delete from everywhere. In this blog, we will explore why it occurs, the risks of such synchronization, and how to prevent it. We will cover the manual and the professional methods by using CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool to secure the emails.

Why do Lost Emails from Inbox Get Synced In IMAP?

IMAP stores emails on the server and shows them across all configured devices. Unlike POP, which stores emails locally, IMAP synchronizes everything, including deletion. Which means:

• If you delete an email on your iPhone, it disappears from your Gmail inbox too.
• If you accidentally delete emails in Outlook, they vanish from your webmail as well.

This is why many user complains, even though they didn’t directly delete them from the main account.

Methods to Stop IMAP Email Deleting from Server

IMAP is useful for storing emails synced on every device. But it can lead to data loss when deleted messages vanish from the server. To handle this, you can either use manual methods, such as adjusting email client settings or recovering from trash, or choose an automated tool. This creates a secure backup and ensures deleted emails don’t disappear permanently from your account.

Manual Methods: Retrieve Deleted Emails from an IMAP Server

In this section, we suggest five different ways for our users to prevent their emails from this deletion. The steps below need proper observation and understanding; otherwise, they can cause errors or may lead to an incomplete process.

1. Change IMAP Folder Subscription

By default, IMAP syncs every folder. If you want to sync your Sent, Draft, and Deleted items IMAP folders selectively.

• Open your email client ( e.g., Outlook or Thunderbird ).
• Then, go to Account Settings > IMAP Folders.
• Unsubscribe from the “Deleted Items” folder or any folder you don’t want synced.

This prevents server syncing deleted IMAP emails across devices.

2. Disable “Removes from Server” Settings

Some clients, like Outlook or Apple Mail, have a “Remove message from server after deleting locally” option. To stop this:

• Open your Account Settings.
• Then, navigate to Advanced Server Settings.
• Afterwards, disable the option that removes emails from the server when deleted locally.

This way, even if you delete them on your device, the emails remain available on the server.

3. Use Archive Instead of Delete

Most email providers support an Archive function. Instead of deleting, move emails to an archive folder. This makes sure they don’t get wiped out from the server. 

4. Retrieve Deleted Emails from an IMAP Server

If emails were already deleted, you can still try to retrieve your deleted emails from an IMAP server:

• Firstly, log in to the webmail of your account ( Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook ).
• Check the Trash/Bin folder.
• Remove or move your accidentally deleted emails back to the Mail inbox.

Server syncing deleted IMAP emails still keeps them in the trash for up to 30 days.

5. Create a local backup with Export Option

Exporting IMAP emails to local formats is a preventive method:

• Launch the Outlook application and navigate to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
• From there, choose the option to Export Your IMAP Mailbox and save it in PST format.
• Similarly, in Thunderbird, use the ImportExportTools NG add-on to save IMAP emails locally.

This way, even if the emails deleted from server despite using IMAP, you still have your copy.

Important Note: Manual methods are effective but have limitations such as partial recovery, technical setup, or risk of missing sync settings. For complete security, you can use a professional tool to back up or convert IMAP emails.

After using manual methods, is your server syncing deleted imap emails gmail again? That means the manual method is not enough, or you may be facing an error. This situation shows that you should use a dedicated tool for that process.

How to use an IMAP Backup Tool Automatically?

CloudXena IMAP Email Backup Tool is a software to convert or migrate your files to other email clients or file formats. It is an easy-to-use and user interactive solution. You can bulk convert your files in just one go. Moreover, this tool can save your file in multiple formats, for instance, convert IMAP emails to PDF.

1. Download and start the CloudXena IMAP Backup Tool, and choose between Single and Batch mode >> Next.
   

 

2. After that, either enter your credentials or import your CSV file >> Next.
   

 

3. Here, click the important item from the tree structure >> Next.
   

 

4. Then, choose the suitable file format, and give a saving path to file >> Next.
   

 

5. Finally, apply the advanced filters and click Convert.
   

Many users prefer working with a spreadsheet to review or manage their mailbox data. In such cases, you can export IMAP emails to CSV, which allows you to open and organize them easily in applications like Excel ot Google Sheets.

Conclusion

IMAP offers flexibility by keeping your emails synced across all devices, but the downside is that server syncing deleted IMAP emails error occurs across platforms. This often results in loss of important data. While manual methods such as unsubscribing from folders, disabling delete-from-server, or recovering from trash work to some extent, they aren’t always reliable. To ensure full security, using a professional IMAP Backup Tool is highly recommended.  

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