Replies not saving under the date sent

[kb007]

Hi everyone,
I’ve noticed an issue with Thunderbird. When I reply to an email, the sent message doesn’t appear sorted under the date I sent it. It seems to get attached or grouped with the original email instead, so it doesn’t show up in chronological order with my other sent messages.
Has anyone else experienced this or know how to make Thunderbird save replies by the actual date sent instead of linking them to the original message thread?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Would you like me to make it sound more technical or keep it as a plain user report?

[rohankh]

First, a quick clarification you can pick from:

• Do you use Thunderbird with an IMAP account or a local/POP account? The issue tends to appear more with IMAP because of how messages are threaded and synced.
• Which version of Thunderbird are you on? (If you’re not sure, Help > About Thunderbird will show it.)

Likely causes and fixes

1. Conversation view vs. classic sort

• Thunderbird can display messages in “Threads” (conversations) or as a flat list. If your view is set to show threads, replies may appear linked to the original in the thread but still have a separate date. Try switching to a flat view for the folder to see if replies sort by message-date.
  • View > Messages in Tabs > Unthreaded (or disable Threaded View: View > Sort By > Unthreaded)
  • Also check: View > Sort By > Date, and ensure “Descending” or “Ascending” matches what you want.

1. Message-date vs. Received/Sent dates

• Replied messages may carry the original message’s internal date if the server set the Date header differently or if the client is interpreting headers in a non-standard way.
• In IMAP, Thunderbird should display Sent items from the Sent folder with their own Date header. If replies aren’t moving to Sent or are appearing under the original, there may be a server-side rule or a mailbox mapping issue.

1. Local vs. remote folders and synchronization

• If you have multiple devices or accounts, the Sent messages could be placed/rebuilt differently based on synchronization. Check the local copy of Sent: is the reply stored in Sent on the server, or is it stored as a reply in the thread of the original message in another folder?

1. Filters or quick move rules

• Do you have any message filters or “Move to” rules that might relocate replies into the original thread’s folder or into subfolders in a way that makes them appear grouped?

1. Extensions or server-side add-ons

• Some add-ons or server-side features can alter how messages are stored or displayed. If you’ve recently installed a new add-on, try running Thunderbird in Safe Mode (Help > Troubleshoot Mode) to see if the issue persists.

Recommended steps to diagnose and fix

• Step 1: Check view and sort
  • In the Sent folder, switch to a flat view and sort by Date (Newest on top). See if the reply appears with its own date.
• Step 2: Verify Date headers (advanced)
  • Open the reply, go to View Message Source (Right-click the message > View Source) and look for the Date header. Ensure it reflects the time you sent, not the original thread time.
• Step 3: Compare with the original
  • In the same thread, compare the Date headers of the original and the reply. If the reply’s Date is correct, the issue is only in the display sorting. If the Date is wrong, the issue is with how the message was composed/sent.
• Step 4: Check account settings
  • Account Settings > Copies & Folders: confirm Sent folder is the correct destination. For IMAP, ensure the server’s Sent Mail folder is selected and that messages are being saved there.
• Step 5: Disable extensions and test
  • Restart Thunderbird in Troubleshoot Mode (Help > Troubleshoot Mode) and test sending a reply to see if the behavior changes.
• Step 6: Look for server rules
  • If your email provider has server-side rules (e.g., in Gmail/Google Workspace, Exchange), verify there isn’t a rule re-threading or moving sent messages.

[kb007]

Hi there IMAP.  140.4.0esr (aarch64)

[andrewleejenkin]

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