Old email messages deleting immediately when moved to trash/bin

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Level 1

4 points

Old email messages deleting immediately when moved to trash/bin

Using Mail.

When I move an old email (dated more than 30 days ago) to trash, it permanently deletes from my iPad within about 30mins. It is operating as if the 30 days runs from the date of the email and not from the date that it is moved to trash. Newer emails - when moved to trash - operate as expected and are retained for the 30 days.

This also occurs with the synced Mail app on my iPhone and on an older iPad I sometimes use. I tested it today and it also happens in iCloud Mail.

I have the mail behaviour settings on the iPad and iPhone set to deletion after 30 days. (I cannot find that setting in iCloud Mail).

Is there another setting that I should be adjusting to stop this happening.

iPad, iPadOS 18

Posted on Oct 23, 2025 2:59 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

AlWeir

Level 5

4,452 points

Oct 23, 2025 4:26 PM in response to gaoh_j87

Check Email Provider's Webmail Settings:

Log into your email account through the provider's website (e.g., iCloud.com, mail.google.com, mail.yahoo.com).
Navigate to the Settings or Preferences section for your Mail.
Look for Trash, Deleted Messages, or Auto-purge settings.
Ensure the setting to automatically delete messages is disabled or set to a long duration. Server-side settings often override local Mac Mail settings.

Check Mac Mail Settings:

Open the Mail app on your Mac.
Go to the Mail menu in the top bar and select Settings (or Preferences).
Click on Accounts.
Select the affected email account in the sidebar.
Click the Mailbox Behaviours tab.
Check the setting for Trash Mailbox (or Bin Mailbox).
Look for the option, often labeled something like "Permanently erase deleted messages" or "Delete messages from the trash after". Ensure it's set to "Never" or a time interval longer than "Immediately."
Note: For some account types (like iCloud), this setting might be in a different place or managed through iCloud settings.

If the issue persists, especially with iCloud or other IMAP accounts, it is often a server-side rule controlled by the provider that may apply auto-deletion to older messages once they are marked as deleted (moved to Trash). To save old messages indefinitely, you may need to move them to a local folder under the "On My Mac" section instead of the online "Trash" mailbox.

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Answer 2

AlWeir

Level 5

4,452 points

Oct 24, 2025 8:05 AM in response to gaoh_j87

In Mail >>Settings >> Your iCloud Account >> Mailbox Behaviours. Check how you have it set up

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Answer 3

gaoh_j87 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 23, 2025 5:26 PM in response to AlWeir

Thanks AlWeir. The email provider is iCloud. I am not using Mac Mail. I am using the mail app on an iPad and iPhone.

I have previously checked the settings on iCloud. There is no Trash, Deleted Messages or Auto-purge messages option that I can find. There is a Mail Behaviour option which is currently set to move to bin. I have searched all through the settings in iCloud and cannot find anything about auto purging or the time limit for deletion via the iCloud website Mail.

I have checked the Mailbox behaviours for trash on both my devices and it is set to after 30 days. It is most certainly not set to immediately. Given that any email less than 30 days old (receive date or send date) goes happily into the Trash folder and stays there (at least until 30 days from the send/receive date or up) I dont think this setting is the issue.

Is the 30 days run from the receive or send date (once it is put into trash) rather than the date that it is moved to trash?

Note I dont want to keep things indefinitely but I do want to be able to pull a email back out if I accidentally delete it in a clean up. Moving it to another folder defeats that functionality.

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Answer 4

gaoh_j87 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2025 3:19 PM in response to AlWeir

Thanks again but as I have already said, I have checked the mailbox behaviours on all devices. They are set at 30 days/one month. And the immediate deletion only occurs for emails received or sent more than 30 days ago - and it occurs as soon as I move them to the trash folder.

Emails received or sent earlier than that are not immediately deleted on being moved which appears to indicate that setting is correct. Those are deleted one month after their sent received date. (I have been monitoring and checking this for 6 weeks or more to make sure it was actually happening).

It appears to be operating on the sent / received date rather than the moved to trash date - which from what I can tell, it should not.

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