Delete emails with POP3

This article describes how to delete email messages using Mail.dll .NET POP3 component and POP3 protocol.

Internally deleted messages are only marked for deletion. Email messages are actually deleted by POP3 server after the client issues successful QUIT command – in other words: when client disconnects.

Following code will find unique ids of all messages and delete them one by one.

// C# version

using Limilabs.Client.POP3;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        using (Pop3 pop3 = new Pop3())
        {
            pop3.Connect("pop3.company.com");    // use ConnectSSL for SSL.
            pop3.Login("user", "password");

            // Delete all messages
            foreach (string uid in pop3.GetAll())
            {
                pop3.DeleteMessageByUID(uid);
            }

            pop3.Close();
        }
    }
};

' VB.NET version

Imports Limilabs.Client.POP3

Public Module Module1
    Public Sub Main(ByVal args As String())

        Using pop3 As New Pop3()
            pop3.Connect("pop3.company.com")  ' use ConnectSSL for SSL.
            pop3.Login("user", "password")

            ' Delete all messages
            For Each uid As String In pop3.GetAll()
                pop3.DeleteMessageByUID(uid)
            Next

            pop3.Close()
        End Using

    End Sub
End Module

Here you can find Gmail POP3 behavior regarding downloading and deleting email messages.

Tags: C# Email component POP3 VB.NET