Email

[GaryF853]

My emails are only being shown in my inbox for 3 weeks before being removed. Is there something I can do to retain them indefinitely?

[Gondola]

If your TalkTalk Mail account is set up as an IMAP account then that suggests the Outlook email client is not the cause of the mail disappearing from the Inbox after 3 weeks. IMAP accounts do not have the setting for leave messages on the server because that is already a default for IMAP accounts.

Do you have any other devices or services authorised to connect to your mailbox?  You can see all current connections via webmail.

Select here:  Sign in to TalkTalk Mail

Enter your full TalkTalk Mail email address, select Continue and enter the password, select Sign in.

Select the cog icon (top right) for settings, then the All settings menu item and in the left side of the modal that opens select Security. You'll now see Your devices. Check as far as you can that all signed in devices are yours. If you don't recognise any device then Sign out all devices.

If you think the mailbox password has been compromised and someone has set up a POP3 mail collection then scan your devices to remove potential viruses or malware and upgrade the password.

Before leaving webmail, select the user icon top far right and the menu item Update your reset details to make sure you have password reset options saved. 

The Reset password now button in the help article  Changing your email password will take you to password reset and recovery. 

If you have set up password recovery options, in advance, that you recognise from the *****hints, then you can send your alternate email address a link or your mobile a 6-digit code to authorise a password reset.

[GaryF853]

Thank you.

The incoming server settings are IMAP.

There is no auto archiving setting, but I cannot find "never delete from server " or the Outlook version "Leave a copy of messages on server".

Is there something I can do from the Webmail side as the Outlook is a mirror image of webmail?

[Gondola]

Webmail acts as an IMAP connection so that would mean Outlook is set up as a POP3 account.

In Outlook find the Accounts setting and select the TalkTalk Mail account and there you'll see if it's an IMAP or POP3 account.  If you see the Incoming server settings, delving deeper, you'll see that the port number will be 993 for IMAP secure mail or 995 for secure POP3 mail. NB you cannot simply switch from POP3 to IMAP so if you're happy with the way that you use mail other than downloading and never deleting then you need to tick the setting for Never delete from the server that in Outlook is usually labelled 'Leave a copy of messages on the server.'

Also just double check that Auto archive isn't selected in the Advanced settings as this feature can move messages after a defined time to the Outlook archive.

[GaryF853]

I am using Talk Talk webmail and Outlook to access from laptop. I am not sure what connection protocol is being used. Is there a way to find out?

[Gondola]

The description suggests that there is a connection to your mailbox by a POP3 mail collection service or email software.

There are two connection protocols. POP3 and IMAP. IMAP connections will view what's in your online mailbox and will delete content only when you choose. POP3 will download just from the Inbox and can be set to never delete but the default is to delete from the Inbox after downloading or after a defined time.

What email software or service are you using and have you identified that the software or service is set up as a POP3 account?