# alimail-email

Part of **ALIMAIL**

# Alibaba Mail Email Management Troubleshooting Guide

## Problem Index

| Problem | Symptom | Severity | Solution Summary |
|--------|--------|---------|------------------|
| Emails disappear from WebMail after using POP3 client | Messages vanish from inbox after client sync | High | Set "Deletion by Receiving Software" to "Not Allowed" in POP Settings |
| Sent emails from POP client not visible in web Sent folder | Sent items missing in web interface | Medium | Change "Save to Sent Email" setting to "Save All" or "Save only emails sent from clients" |
| Email not appearing in Inbox | Expected message absent from primary inbox | Medium | Check other folders and review Receiving Rules for automatic sorting |
| Cannot receive new emails despite working network | Bounce-back with error code 552 or delivery failure | High | Free up mailbox space; verify usage against 10GB capacity limit |

## Problem Details

### Problem 1: Emails Disappear from WebMail After Using POP3 Client

**Symptoms**
- Error message: `Emails are deleted from the server after being downloaded by the client`
- Behavior: Messages visible in WebMail before configuring email client (e.g., Outlook), but vanish after first sync
- Context: Occurs when using POP3 protocol with third-party email clients

**Root Cause**
By default, POP3 clients delete messages from the server after retrieval unless explicitly configured otherwise. Additionally, Alibaba Mail’s server-side setting "Deletion by Receiving Software" is set to "Allowed" by default, permitting clients to remove messages.

**Solution**
1. Log on to Alibaba Mail and click **Settings** in the upper-right corner
2. In the left navigation pane, choose **Email Settings > POP Settings**
3. In the **Synchronization Settings** section, locate the **Deletion by Receiving Software** dropdown
4. Change the value from **Allowed** to **Not Allowed**

```text
Navigation path: Console > Alibaba Mail > Settings > Email Settings > POP Settings
Form field: Deletion by Receiving Software = Not Allowed
```

**Verification**
- Send a test email to the account
- Sync with your email client
- Confirm the message remains visible in WebMail inbox after sync

### Problem 2: Sent Emails from POP Client Not Visible in Web Sent Folder

**Symptoms**
- Behavior: Emails sent via Outlook or other POP-based clients do not appear in the **Sent Items** folder when viewing WebMail
- Context: Only affects messages sent through external clients; WebMail-sent messages appear normally

**Root Cause**
The default setting for "Save to Sent Email" is **Save only emails sent by WebMail**, which excludes messages sent via third-party clients using POP.

**Solution**
1. Log on to the Alibaba Mail website and click **Settings** in the upper-right corner
2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose **Email Settings > Receiving and Sending**
3. On the **Sent Email Settings** page, locate the **Save to Sent Email** dropdown
4. Select either:
   - **Save All** (recommended for full visibility), or
   - **Save only emails sent from clients**

```text
Form field options:
- Save All
- Save only emails sent by WebMail (default)
- Save only emails sent from clients
- Do not save all
```

**Verification**
- Compose and send an email using your POP client
- Refresh the **Sent Items** folder in WebMail
- Confirm the message appears in the list

### Problem 3: Email Not Appearing in Inbox

**Symptoms**
- Error message: `EmailNotFound`
- Behavior: Expected email is missing from the primary Inbox folder
- Context: Sender confirms delivery; no bounce-back received

**Root Cause**
Alibaba Mail may automatically sort incoming messages into subfolders based on **Receiving Rules** (e.g., filters, forwarding rules, or conversation grouping). The email might be in **Spam**, **Trash**, or a custom folder.

**Solution**
1. Use the search bar in WebMail to look for the email by subject, sender, or date
2. Check all folders including:
   - Spam
   - Trash
   - Custom user-created folders
3. Review **Receiving Rules**:
   - Go to **Settings > Email Settings > Receiving Rules**
   - Examine active rules that might redirect or archive messages

**Verification**
- Locate the email in an alternate folder
- Temporarily disable relevant receiving rules and request a resend to confirm rule impact

### Problem 4: Cannot Receive New Emails Due to Full Mailbox

**Symptoms**
- Error message: `552` or `MailboxFull`
- Behavior: Incoming emails bounce back with "mailbox full" notice; sender receives delivery failure
- Context: Occurs even when DNS and network connectivity are functional

**Root Cause**
Alibaba Mail enforces a **10GB storage limit per mailbox**. Once this capacity is reached, the system blocks new incoming messages until space is freed.

**Solution**
1. Log in to Alibaba Mail Webmail
2. Check current usage:
   - Storage indicator is displayed in the lower-left corner of the interface (e.g., "Used: 9.8 GB / Total: 10 GB")
3. Free up space by:
   - Deleting large or old emails (especially with attachments)
   - Emptying the **Trash** and **Spam** folders
   - Archiving important messages externally

```text
Quota limit: 10GB per mailbox (free tier)
Error code 552 indicates storage exhaustion
```

**Verification**
- After cleanup, check that used space is below 10GB
- Ask sender to resend a test email
- Confirm successful delivery without bounce-back

## FAQ

**Q: How do I prevent my email client from deleting messages on the Alibaba Mail server?**  
A: Configure both your email client and Alibaba Mail settings. In Outlook, enable "Leave a copy of messages on the server" under Account Settings > More Settings > Advanced. On the server side, go to Settings > POP Settings and set "Deletion by Receiving Software" to "Not Allowed".

**Q: Why don’t emails I send from my phone or desktop client show up in the Sent folder on the web?**  
A: By default, Alibaba Mail only saves emails sent via WebMail to the Sent folder. To include client-sent messages, go to Settings > Email Settings > Receiving and Sending and change "Save to Sent Email" to "Save All" or "Save only emails sent from clients".

**Q: How can I check if my mailbox is full?**  
A: In the Alibaba Mail Webmail interface, look at the storage indicator in the lower-left corner. It shows used space out of the 10GB total capacity. If you’re near or at 10GB, you must delete emails to receive new ones.

**Q: Where should I look if an expected email isn’t in my Inbox?**  
A: Search across all folders—especially Spam, Trash, and any custom folders. Also review your Receiving Rules under Settings > Email Settings > Receiving Rules, as automated filters may have redirected the message.

**Q: Does Alibaba Mail support IMAP, and does it have the same deletion issues as POP3?**  
A: Yes, Alibaba Mail supports IMAP. Unlike POP3, IMAP synchronizes folder states between client and server, so deletion behavior is consistent and less likely to cause unexpected message loss. However, always verify client settings to ensure proper sync behavior.