We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

How can I deduplicate a subfolder?

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Rufus

more options

The email system that my organisation uses does not have an "All Mail" folder, and any folder I want has to be created as a subfolder of the Inbox. That is not Thunderbird's fault. It just an annoying constraint of our system. Ultimately the original emails are then moved from the Inbox and filed in their relevant folders, while the copy remalns in the All Mail folder.

My workaround is to select and copy batches of emails in my Thunderbird Inbox to an "All Mail" subfolder that I have created. However sometimes I copy the same Inbox email more than once to the subfolder. Is there a way to deduplicate the emails in a single folder, namely my All Mail folder?

I use Thunderbird on a Windows 10 PC and on iPad and iPhone.

The email system that my organisation uses does not have an "All Mail" folder, and any folder I want has to be created as a subfolder of the Inbox. That is not Thunderbird's fault. It just an annoying constraint of our system. Ultimately the original emails are then moved from the Inbox and filed in their relevant folders, while the copy remalns in the All Mail folder. My workaround is to select and copy batches of emails in my Thunderbird Inbox to an "All Mail" subfolder that I have created. However sometimes I copy the same Inbox email more than once to the subfolder. Is there a way to deduplicate the emails in a single folder, namely my All Mail folder? I use Thunderbird on a Windows 10 PC and on iPad and iPhone.

Chosen solution

There is an add-on that does dedups

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (4)

more options

WHat mail provider has such a weird restriction? (besides gmail)

more options

I am not sure if your post was an exclamation or serious question.

The organsation in question (unrelated to my own emal address here) has its own domain name and emails but I dont know which "mail provider" is used. I am pretty sure gmail is not hidden inside it.

more options

Chosen Solution

There is an add-on that does dedups

more options

Thanks Wayne. I have downloaded and tried out the add-on and it worked really well, although some reviews suggested otherwise.

In case it helps anyone else, I can offer the following. I lock it down somewhat by

(a) only having it active when I consciously wish to dedupe the specific folder (b) moving the duplicates to another folder so they are not deleted immediately (just in case...!) (c) setting it to compare several more than the default file attributes to ensure the emails really are duplicates and (d) setting it so I can manualy check as well.

Belt and braces are the order of the day!