*HELP* Accidentally Deleted All Emails on AOL

[DiamondGCoupe]

I accidentally Deleted all the emails in my AOL Inbox while using my iPhone, emptied deleted items as well. I am not able to recover or restore them on AOL.com or from Mail App.

However, my iPad was in Airplane mode at the time so they are all technically still in my Inbox on my iPad. I turned off the account and Selected All the emails and Moved them to another folder in another email account.

What is the correct procedure(lol) in Syncing my Inbox to include the emails I have saved on my iPad with new emails from my AOL Email? I did this a few years ago but my ipad battery is dying and I want to get a new device. This has been one of my emails since 1999, a lot of emails from family members who have since died. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Best.

 

[Slartibart]

you checked wether any really old mail you ”saved” on your iPad has indeed any content?

This has been one of my emails since 1999, a lot of emails from family members who have since died.

?? what iPad do you have? I was convinced it was introduced in 2010 - but you are probably referring to your Mail account. So, what iPad with what iPadOS version are you using?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

If they are successfully moved to another folder (better open a few to be sure), you can drag any you want in inbox back again after you reconnect. However, what you've basically done is archived a bunch of mail clogging up your inbox into an archived folder. Perhaps just leave them there? Keep your inbox lean and use other folders for long-term keepers. I run a fairly complex business and have a personal rule that my inbox can hold no more than 100 emails. As soon as it crosses 100, I stop doing whatever I'm doing and process inbox email way down again. Inbox should never be used for long-term archive storage as you describe.

While you are at it: since these are very important to you, I encourage you to archive them in longer-term storage than only iDevices easily lost/stolen/dropped/etc. Export them to files to store on several HDDs with at least one stored offsite but kept up to date. Then you'll never lose them by making a similar mistake for a third time. If you don't have a Mac or PC for this, attach external storage to your iPad and copy them to that storage. Then do it again with another storage device. Etc. Get at least one of those OFFSITE to protect again fire/flood/theft scenarios.

 

[Hollydays]

I accidentally Deleted all the emails in my AOL Inbox while using my iPhone, emptied deleted items as well. I am not able to recover or restore them on AOL.com or from Mail App.

However, my iPad was in Airplane mode at the time so they are all technically still in my Inbox on my iPad. I turned off the account and Selected All the emails and Moved them to another folder in another email account.

What is the correct procedure(lol) in Syncing my Inbox to include the emails I have saved on my iPad with new emails from my AOL Email? I did this a few years ago but my ipad battery is dying and I want to get a new device. This has been one of my emails since 1999, a lot of emails from family members who have since died. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Best.

So sorry; I have done things like that. Especially for old emails, such as you mention from deceased family, I would recommend downloading them to documents on your hard drive. Gary at MacMost has a YouTube video on it called "How To Save Email Messages As Document Files (#1731) [not allowing sharing]. The gist is to "Save As..." or Export as PDF or you can Print as PDF, etc. Also, maybe, once you have your new device, you couldn't share or export them back to the 1999 email addy. Hope you're able to recover your emails. 🤞🏻