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Why Are Emails Disappearing from Rebel Cloud Webmail? Managing Message Retention (POP vs. IMAP)

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When using Rebel Cloud Email, how your messages are stored depends directly on how your email app connects to our servers: IMAP or POP.
 
If you notice that messages appear in your desktop or mobile app but disappear from Rebel Webmail (mail.rebel.com), your email client is likely configured using POP (Post Office Protocol) with settings set to remove messages after downloading.
 

Understanding POP vs. IMAP

  • IMAP (Recommended): Keeps your email app and Rebel Webmail in continuous two-way synchronization. What you see on your phone, computer, and webmail will always match. Folders, sent items, read/unread statuses, and received messages remain stored securely on the cloud server until you manually delete them or reach your mailbox quota.
     
  • POP: Downloads messages from the server directly to your local computer or phone hard drive. By default, many POP client configurations instruct the server to delete the downloaded email immediately after retrieval, causing it to disappear completely from Rebel Webmail and any other devices.

How Email Retention Works on Rebel Cloud

Rebel Cloud servers do not enforce an automatic time-based purge on your Inbox. If emails are vanishing after delivery, the deletion is driven entirely by the settings configured inside your local email application.
 
If your workflow requires using POP, you can instruct your mail client to leave copies on the server indefinitely or only delete them after a specific period (such as 7 days, 14 days, or 30 days) to allow other devices time to retrieve them.
 

How to Configure "Leave a Copy on Server"

Apple Mail (macOS)

  1. Open the Mail app.
  2. In the top menu bar, click Mail > Settings (or Preferences) > Accounts.
  3. Select your Rebel Cloud email account from the left panel.
  4. Open the Account Information tab.
  5. Locate the setting "Remove copy from server after retrieving a message":
    • To keep messages indefinitely: Uncheck this box entirely.
       
    • To retain messages temporarily: Check the box and choose your preferred timeframe from the dropdown menu (e.g., "After one week").
  6. Save your settings.

Microsoft Outlook (Windows)

  1. Open Outlook and click File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings.
  2. Select your Rebel Cloud account from the list and click Change.
  3. Click the More Settings button in the lower-right corner.
  4. Switch to the Advanced tab.
  5. In the Delivery section:
    • Check the box for "Leave a copy of messages on the server".
       
    • (Recommended for POP multi-device access) Check "Remove from server after [X] days" and set the threshold (e.g., 7 days).
       
    • (Optional) Check "Remove from server when deleted from 'Deleted Items'" to align local deletions with the server.
  6. Click OK, then Next, and Finish.

Microsoft Outlook (macOS)

  1. Open Outlook and go to Tools > Accounts.
  2. Highlight your Rebel Cloud email account.
  3. Click Advanced... in the bottom-right corner.
  4. Under the Server tab, locate the POP settings.
  5. Check "Leave a copy of each message on the server".
  6. Set the retention rule to either keep messages permanently or choose "Delete copies from the server after [X] days".
  7. Click OK to apply.

Mozilla Thunderbird

  1. Click the application menu (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner and select Account Settings.
  2. In the left sidebar, click Server Settings beneath your Rebel Cloud account.
  3. In the Server Settings panel:
    • Ensure "Leave messages on server" is checked.
       
    • Check "For at most [X] days" to designate an automatic purge window (e.g., 7 days).
       
    • Check "Until I delete them" if you want messages to remain until you remove them from your local client.
  4. Close the settings tab to automatically save your preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

If I only use Rebel Webmail and do not use a POP app, how long do emails stay?

Emails in your Inbox and custom folders remain on the server indefinitely, provided your account does not exceed its total allocated storage quota.
 

Why do some messages move directly to Trash?

If an email client configured with POP is set to delete messages from the server immediately after retrieval, Rebel Cloud archives or moves them to Trash depending on your client’s purge commands. Adjusting the "Leave a copy on server" setting resolves this immediately.
 

Should I switch from POP to IMAP?

If you access your email across multiple devices (e.g., phone, laptop, and webmail), IMAP is strongly recommended. It ensures all your folders, sent items, and read/unread statuses stay synchronized everywhere. You can review our full guide on connecting via IMAP here: How to set up your Rebel Cloud email on your email client.
 

If I change my email client from POP to IMAP, will I lose my existing emails?

No, but you should back up your local folders first. POP stores emails locally on your device, while IMAP reads directly from the server. If you simply delete the POP profile without exporting or moving your emails, any messages that were previously purged from the server will be lost locally. We recommend creating a local archive folder (such as an Outlook .pst file or an Apple Mail "On My Mac" mailbox) before switching to IMAP.
 

Why don't my sent emails or custom folders sync between my phone and webmail when using POP?

POP only downloads the incoming Inbox. It is a one-way protocol and cannot synchronize custom folders, drafts, or your Sent Items folder back to the server. To access your sent messages and custom folder tree across all devices and webmail, you must configure the account using IMAP.
 

If I read an email on my computer using POP, why does it still show as unread in Webmail?

POP downloads message files independently to each device. It does not synchronize read/unread statuses, flags, or tags back to the server. Only IMAP provides live two-way status tracking across all devices.
 

What happens when my Rebel Cloud mailbox reaches 100% storage capacity?

If your mailbox quota is reached, incoming emails will bounce back to the sender with a "Mailbox Full" notification, and you will not be able to receive new messages until space is freed or the mailbox package is upgraded. If you use IMAP or set POP to "leave copies indefinitely," make sure to periodically clear out your Trash and Spam folders to keep storage below your quota limit.
 

Can I use POP on my computer and IMAP on my phone for the same mailbox?

While technically possible, it is not recommended. If the computer using POP downloads and deletes messages from the server, your phone (using IMAP) will immediately reflect that deletion and the emails will disappear from your phone. If you must use both, ensure the POP client has "Leave a copy of messages on the server" permanently checked.

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