Chapter 3 · 3.4
Message filters: sort your mail automatically
With a message filter, Thunderbird moves, marks or tags your mail automatically. For example, all mail from your accountant goes to the Accounting folder.
Filter in Thunderbird or on the server?
| Filter in Thunderbird | Filter in webmail (on the server) | |
|---|---|---|
| When does it work? | Only when Thunderbird is open on your computer | Always, even when your computer is off |
| Do you see the result on your phone? | Only after Thunderbird has moved the mail | Immediately |
| Features | Many: also tags, star, priority | Move, forward, delete |
Do you also read your mail on your phone? Then it's best to create your most important filters in webmail (see Server-side email rules (filters on the server)). Filters in Thunderbird are handy for things that only need to happen on your computer.
Creating a filter in Thunderbird
- Click the menu button, then Tools and Message Filters.
- At the top, choose the email address the filter applies to and click New….
- Give the filter a recognisable name.
- Choose when the filter runs. In any case, keep Getting New Mail ticked. With Manually Run you can also apply the filter to existing mail later.
- Set the condition. For example, choose From, then contains, and type the sender's address.
- Set the action. For example, choose Move Message to and the folder.
- Click OK.
Want to apply a filter to mail that's already in your Inbox? Select the filter in the Message Filters list and click Run Now.
Quickly create a filter from a message
In an open message, right-click the sender's address and choose Create Filter From…. Thunderbird then fills in the sender for you.
Good to know
- Filters run from top to bottom. Use Move Up and Move Down to change the order.
- Filter not working as you expect? Click Filter Log to see what happened.
- With Filter before Spam Classification and Filter after Spam Classification you choose whether the filter runs before or after Thunderbird's spam filter.