Setting mail inbox preferences

[Sollopa]

I have a Yosemite MAC. I can't find a way to control how long messages stay in my inbox. Right now they disappear after a week. Can't find anything in Preferences. Anyone have the same problem?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

-You are using the Apple Mail app, correct?
-Who is you email provider?
-How is the email account setup - IMAP or POP?

Messages should stay in your inbox until you remove them. You normally only have control on how long junk and deleted mail remain.

C

 

[Sollopa]

Hello and welcome.

-You are using the Apple Mail app, correct?
-Who is you email provider?
-How is the email account setup - IMAP or POP?

Messages should stay in your inbox until you remove them. You normally only have control on how long junk and deleted mail remain.

C

I'm using the Apple Mail app. Comcast is my provider. IMAP account setup.

 

[Cory Cooper]

OK, thanks for the additional information.

There aren't any settings in Apple Mail or the Comcast webmail site to remove emails from your inbox at a set interval. Not sure why that is happening.

-How many emails are in your inbox?
-Are the disappearing emails ones that you have read or not?

C

 

[honestone]

Comcast is also my ISP, and I use Outlook as my EMail client. My setup with them is POP, but I am not having this issue at all. I even looked in Outlook to see if there is some kind of setting for getting rid of incoming EMails, and there is none.

 

[Sollopa]

Comcast is also my ISP, and I use Outlook as my EMail client. My setup with them is POP, but I am not having this issue at all. I even looked in Outlook to see if there is some kind of setting for getting rid of incoming EMails, and there is none.

OK, thanks for the additional information.

There aren't any settings in Apple Mail or the Comcast webmail site to remove emails from your inbox at a set interval. Not sure why that is happening.

-How many emails are in your inbox?
-Are the disappearing emails ones that you have read or not?

C

OK, thanks for the additional information.

There aren't any settings in Apple Mail or the Comcast webmail site to remove emails from your inbox at a set interval. Not sure why that is happening.

-How many emails are in your inbox?
-Are the disappearing emails ones that you have read or not?

C

Hi Cory,

There are presently 37 messages in my inbox, the earliest being 5/29. I expect the latter to disappear a week after 5/29. I process all new emails by single clicking on on each and scanning the message on the other half of the screen. I rarely “open” a message by double clicking on it (usually when I want to print it). I hit delete on unwanted messages, sending them to mail trash, where they’ll stay for a month. I leave “active” messages in the inbox until I’m done with them. When I’m done with them, I either delete them or move them to another of my mailboxes (9 for sorting by topic, listed under “Comcast” heading), where I can keep them indefinitely for long-term reference.

I usually keep messages in my Inbox when they are “active”, i.e. when it’s an ongoing case that I want to monitor, or I’m likely to act on in the near future. I suppose that I could create a new 10th mailbox for those “active” ones, so I only have 2 mailboxes to check instead of the one Inbox. It would be nice, however, to be able to hold onto messages in the Inbox for a month.

What do you think?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Yeah, it is a strange issue, as it should keep emails in the inbox until you delete or move them.

You could try moving them from the inbox into a 10th folder as you stated to see if that works. Also, you could try viewing one, then marking it as unread and leaving it in the inbox to see if it disappears.

What happens if you login to Comcast webmail - do you see the same emails in the inbox that way?

I have setup my Comcast email in Apple Mail, sent myself a test email from another account, viewed it, and will leave it in the inbox to see if I can reproduce the issue here.

C

 

[Sollopa]

Yes, the Comcast server inbox mirrors my inbox.

 

[honestone]

Really strange that you are having this issue with Apple's Mail program. As I mentioned, Outlook 2016 is not causing me any "grief". Also, don't think POP or IMAP make a difference, at least with your issue.

 

[Sollopa]

Thank you all for your help. At least I now have a plan that fits my needs.

 

[Cory Cooper]

So far, the email is still in the inbox. It's been less than a week, so I will continue to monitor it and let you know.

C

 

[Sollopa]

No, I'm good. I've got a plan, and it seems to be working so far. Thanks for the help! Sloop

 

[Cory Cooper]

Sounds good.

Be well,

C

 

[Cory Cooper]

A follow-up:

The email is still in my inbox.

Just a friendly FYI,

C