Email and messaging
Read, send, and manage your emails and messages.
Thunderbird and Junk / Spam Messages
This article explains how Thunderbird's adaptive filter learns to identify junk mail ("spam").
Keyboard shortcuts - perform common Thunderbird tasks quickly
Keyboard shortcuts are quick key combinations that replace mouse navigation. This is a list of commonly used keyboard shortcuts in Thunderbird.
Profiles - Where Thunderbird stores your messages and other user data
Thunderbird saves personal information such as messages, passwords and user preferences in a set of files called a "profile".
Export your Thunderbird Profile
Thunderbird's export tool lets you create a backup of your Thunderbird profile including accounts, messages, address books, and settings.
Filelink for Large Attachments
Messages with large attachments are often rejected by mail servers. Thunderbird can use web-based storage services to send large file attachments.
Blocking a sender
This article explains how to block a particular sender in Thunderbird.
Thunderbird and Gmail
Thunderbird can be set up to work seamlessly with Google's Gmail. Messages will be synchronized between your local version of Thunderbird and web-based Gmail.
Import settings and data into Thunderbird
With Thunderbird's import tool, you can import settings and data from a variety of sources including Thunderbird profiles, other applications or files.
Using Thunderbird with Google Calendar
This article describes how to use Google calendars together with Thunderbird.
The difference between IMAP and POP3
Thunderbird gives users the choice between using IMAP or POP3. This documentation will explain the major differences between these protocols.
Message threading in Thunderbird - keep messages grouped by conversation
Threading is a useful way of displaying message list in Thunderbird with your messages grouped in tree structures by conversations. Here's how to enable it.
Gmail and Thunderbird for Android
How to use gmail and gmail with oauth2 with Thunderbird for Android and K-9.
How to create and use mailing lists on Thunderbird
A mailing list is used to send one email to a group of contacts. This article explains how to create and use mailing lists in Thunderbird.
Import settings and data into Thunderbird for Android
How to import email settings from K-9 and Thunderbird for Android
Automatic Account Configuration
Setting up a new account with Thunderbird is fast! Setup is quick for most e-mail providers with only your username and password required.
Rebuilding the Global Database
Rebuilding the Global Database will initiate a re-indexing of emails and address book cards (newsgroup messages are not indexed).
Cannot send messages
If you cannot send messages with Thunderbird, this page provides a series of steps you can follow to check for common problems.
Archived Messages
This article explains how the "archive" feature of Thunderbird works.
Profile Manager - Create and remove Thunderbird profiles
Thunderbird stores your personal information and settings in a profile folder. Learn to work with different profiles on Thunderbird.
Switch from POP to IMAP account
This article explains how to switch from a POP to an IMAP account in Thunderbird.
Getting Started with the Thunderbird main window (Supernova and newer)
For Supernova TB115 & newer, an overview of the Thunderbird Mail window, explaining the Folder Pane, Message List Pane, Header Pane, Message Pane, & Today Pane.
Cannot receive messages
If you cannot receive messages, this page provides a series of steps you can use to check for common problems.
Configure push email for Thunderbird for Android
How to setup push email for selected folders for Thunderbird for Android
Manual Account Configuration
This article will show you how to manually configure the basic settings you need to send and receive emails with Thunderbird.
Make Thunderbird the Default Mail Client
If Thunderbird is specified as your system's default email application, it will integrate with other applications (such as word processors and web browsers).
Sending and Receiving Messages on Thunderbird
How to send and receive email messages using Thunderbird.
Ignoring threads
The Ignore Thread (or Subthread) feature is very useful for mailing lists. It lets you skip reading the rest of a conversation you're not really interested in.
Adding a holiday calendar
Learn how to add a list of holidays to your calendar in Thunderbird.
Thunderbird for Android 8 FAQ
Frequently asked Questions for Thunderbird for Android version 8
Maildir in Thunderbird
Optional support for Maildir allows you to store email as individual files, unlike the default single file format. Learn about Maildir in Thunderbird.
IMAP Synchronization
IMAP stands for the Internet Message Access Protocol. It enables a mail client (such as Thunderbird) to access messages stored on a mail server. It is more modern and fully featured than POP (Post Office Protocol), which is the other major protocol for accessing mail messages. Most email providers now support IMAP. To see whether your account uses IMAP or POP, check the Server Settings page in the Account Settings.
Thunderbird Accessibility Features
Find out about all of the Accessibility features available in Thunderbird.
Get started with Thunderbird
Get started with Thunderbird for webmail users
FAQ Changing IMAP to POP
If your mail server supports both IMAP and POP, Thunderbird will use IMAP by default. Use these instructions to manually configure a POP account.
What is the winmail.dat attachment?
When sending messages from email clients that use the Microsoft Exchange server, a file attachment called winmail.dat may be added. Learn how to prevent this.
Create an email mask through Firefox Relay
How to create an email mask on Relay.
Getting started with Thunderbird for Android
How to start using Thunderbird for Android.
Hyperlinks in Messages Not Working
When clicking hyperlinks in email, your default web browser should open and display their content. Learn why that may fail and why links may not be clickable.
Glossary of Terms including types of Accounts
This article describes the types of accounts (IMAP, POP, RSS, NNTP) supported by Thunderbird.
Cannot delete messages
This article explains how to fix issues with message deletion caused by a missing or corrupted trash folder.
Unify your POP email accounts with a global inbox
We'll show you how to merge inboxes from various POP accounts to make what is called a global inbox, where all of the mail can be displayed in one place.
Dangerous directories
Some system folders are not allowed when setting Thunderbird storage location as they cause issues.
Thunderbird Matrix Chat FAQ
FAQ for the Matrix Chat feature in Thunderbird
Changing IMAP to POP
As of Thunderbird 3, the new Automatic Account Configuration Wizard can help you configure your connection to your email provider, but only if your provider is in Mozilla's database of Internet Service Providers or recognized by Thunderbird. While most of the large providers are included, many smaller ones are not yet in the account configuration database.
Tables - Format messages with rows and columns
How to create Tables in emails. Tables use columns and rows to create cells which can contain text or images.
Activate Firefox Relay - Mask your email address
Relay is a Firefox extension that keeps your real email address from companies you don’t trust.
Thunderbird 78 FAQ
This document answers questions for new users of Thunderbird 78, in particular users who have upgraded from a previous version.
Reply to forwarded emails with Firefox Relay Premium
Relay Premium allows you to reply to emails that come to you through your masks right from your personal inbox.
New in Thunderbird 102
Detailed introduction to the most interesting new features, improvements, and changes visible to users in Thunderbird 102.0.
Prerequisite for sending an encrypted email message
This article explains why Thunderbird may report that it cannot encrypt an email that you attempt to send.
Thunderbird and OpenPGP Alias Keys
How to use the OpenPGP Alias Keys feature to bypass Thunderbird's usual requirement that an OpenPGP public key must contain the recipient's email address.
OpenPGP keys might be authentic or counterfeit
How to avoid accepting a counterfeit OpenPGP key when Thunderbird asks you to accept the public key of a correspondent.
Instructions for obtaining a personal S/MIME certificate by creating a CSR
Description of the manual process of obtaining an S/MIME certificate for email security, using a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) generated by Thunderbird.
New in Thunderbird for Android version 8
Introduction to the most interesting new features, improvements, and changes visible to users in Thunderbird for Android version 8.
OpenPGP in Thunderbird for Android - How To
How to set up OpenPGP support in Thunderbird for Android, as implemented in End-To-End Encryption (e2ee).
Configure an account
Inbox or Other Folder Full
Rebuilding Global Database
Thunderbird and Logjam
Thunderbird no longer supports 512 bit (so called US export) keys for TLS connections.
Thunderbird end of Support for XP and Vista
Support for Windows XP and Vista has ended.
Getting started with the Thunderbird main window
An overview of the Thunderbird Mail and Newsgroups window, explaining the Folder pane, Message List pane, Header pane, Message pane, and Today pane.
Keyboard Shortcuts TB
How do I reply to a text message sent to my phone mask?
Learn how to reply to forwarded text messages from your phone's messaging app.