How to Delete Unsent Messages in Thunderbird

After looking through the Thunderbird support forums I noticed that some folks were having trouble figuring out how to delete unsent messages. These are messages that you wrote and chose to “Send Later” or messages that you attempted to send when you are offline. By default, these get saved in your Outbox folder, or your Unsent Messages folder for earlier versions of Thunderbird.

Each time you launch Thunderbird with unsent or “Send Later” messages, Thunderbird nags you with a message:

“Do you want to send your unsent messages now?”

This can get annoying, especially if you’ve decided not to send that drunken tirade to your ex-boss or ex-lover after all. You can rid yourself of the offending unsent message and Thunderbird’s nagging reminder by deleting the messages from your outbox. This groovy guidel will show you how.

Step 1

Just so we’re clear on what we’re talking about, unsent messages get in your Outbox or Unsent Messages folder when you choose File > Send Later or press CTRL + SHIFT + RETURN after composing a message.  This is different from a draft and it’ll be kept in a different folder as well.

After doing this, the message won’t be sent immediately—rather it will be placed in your Outbox or Unsent Messages until you choose to send it.

Step 2

When you have unsent messages, Thunderbird nags you with this window every time you launch Thunderbird:

You can send the unsent message by Clicking Yes. Or you can uncheck Always ask me when I go online and Click No to get rid of this message. However, you won’t be deleting your unsent message—you’ll just opt out of the nag reminder.

Step 3

To delete the message without disabling the reminder, you just have to remove the message from your Outbox. You’ll find this in your Local Folders. It’s a bit tricky to find because it doesn’t get populated until you Click on Local Folders. Plus, it’s not attached to any one account. For example, if you were sending from jack@groovypost.com,  you won’t find your unsent messages in your Sent folder or Drafts folder that corresponds to that account. All of your unsent messages wind up in your Local Folders.

Step 4

Click Outbox to see all of your unsent messages. Here, you can select them and then delete them forever.

Done!

Now, you’ll no longer be asked if you want to send them.  What do you think, was that an easy fix or what?