Lost Most Emails from Sent Folder

[Ontario1]

I seem to have lost all items from my Sent Folder on Bell Email system from prior to January 12, 2023. I did not delete them. But they are gone. In contacting Technical Support, they thought it might have something to do with an email update. Even many items I had BCC'd to myself and then moved to another Folder from the Inbox after sending were also lost. I asked that they raise this up the line to ensure the folks at Bell that update the Email system are aware. 

I had a similar thing happen at the end of 2021, losing all Sent Folder items prior to December 10, 2021. Again, they thought it might be related to an email update. They were not able to recover them.

I use Windows Mail App, Mac Mail App, iOS Mail App and sometimes the Bell webmail for accessing my mail.

It is not really acceptable to keep losing items from my Sent Folder. 

Have others had this happen to them?  Have they been able to recover their email?  Any guidance is appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

[BellPatricia]

Hi there @Ontario1, thank you very much for reaching out to the Bell Community.

We just wanted to clarify, are your Sent emails also missing when you log directly into Bell Webmail through a browser?

- Patricia

[Ontario1]

Hello Patricia.  Yes, they are missing uniformly from all devices, (all Sent items prior to January 12, 2023 missing). They are missing irrespective of the means of access, Windows and Apple, Mail apps and webmail (Edge and Safari browser). (It is set up as IMAP, not POP3, everywhere.). The same thing happened at the end of 2021. And after looking, Tech Support could not resolve. Thanks,

[BellPatricia]

Thank you for confirming @Ontario1.

We want to dig into this a bit deeper, and we've sent you a quick PM so we can gather more information. Please check your Messages within your profile avatar in the top right corner.

Unsure how to check or send a private message? See How to send a private message

- Patricia

[Ontario1]

Thanks @BellPatricia . I have provided the information you requested via the PM. Appreciate your continued support.

[Ontario1]

Recently I noticed that when I send an email from one of my iPhones using the Apple Mail App, it shows in the Sent folder on the iPhone but not in the Sent folder on any of my other devices (or in Bell Web Mail).  (All are set up to use IMAP). I BCC myself when sending, and the Inbox folder synchs correctly across devices when I send an email. The Sent folder syncs to all the devices (including the errant iPhone) when I send an email from the Apple Mail App on my other devices or via Bell Web Mail. Refreshing and rebooting has no effect. All software/firmware is up to date.

Appreciate any insights on this, and how I might correct it without messing up my overall email account. (E.g., should I remove the Mail App from the errant iPhone and wait a while and then reinstall it and add my Sympatico account again?)

Thanks in advance.

[WelshTerrier · Accepted solution]

That is not a unique situation. If you delete mail on one device, it will delete it on all of your devices. That is how imap works. The only exception to this rule is if you are using another mail program such as Outlook on your PC, if you open the message there first, it will download to your PC & will remain there until you decide to delete it, move it, etc. These are just some of the querks or shortcomings when using different devices, mail programs & syncing between them with webmail, Microsoft Outlook, Apple, etc.

Try the following: Send a number of different test messages from different devices on different platforms to your self and follow the trail. If you use a Microsoft product, it will not do the same as an Apple or Google product handling the same piece of mail. The outcome is slightly different for each of them. when you create new, send, & delete mail.

I would also suggest that you check your the advanced mail account settings in all of the devices that you are using ensuring that they are not in conflict with each other. To sync properly, thet must be set the same to handle mail identically.

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sent emails are not saved in sent folder

[WelshTerrier]

Good Day & Welcome to the Bell Community Forum

Can you please provide us with some further information? How are you accessing your Bell mail Are you using more than one device, more than one different method for composing a nd sending an email message? E.g. Email client, web browser, app, etc.

 If you delete mail on one device or with a different method, it will delete it on all of your devices. That is how IMAP works. If you compose or send on different devices or with different methods &r applications, the sent message may not necessarily be saved for viewing on all of your devices, etc. The only exception to this rule is if you are using another mail program such as Outlook on your PC, if you open the message there first, it will download to your PC & will remain there until you decide to delete it, move it, etc. These are just some of the quirks or shortcomings when using different devices, mail programs & syncing between them with webmail, Microsoft Outlook, Apple, etc.

Try the following: Send a number of different test messages from different devices on different platforms to yourself and follow the trail. If you use a Microsoft product, it will not do the same as an Apple or Google product handling the same piece of mail. The outcome is slightly different for each of them. when you create new, send, & delete mail.

I would also suggest that you check the advanced mail account settings in all of the devices that you are using ensuring that they are not in conflict with each other. To sync properly, the settings must be set the same in order to handle mail identically.

Take care.