Getting started with Thunderbird: Difference between revisions

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* The most up to date tutorial is [http://en.flossmanuals.net/Thunderbird FLOSS manual on Thunderbird]. It was a collaborative effort by FLOSS Manuals and Mozilla, originally written for Thunderbird 3.1. While it gets occasional updates it will always have some minor discrepancies due to Thunderbird releasing new versions approximately every 6-8 weeks.
If you're a beginning user of Thunderbird, you may have many questions about how to get started once you've downloaded and installed the application. A good place to begin is [http://opensourcearticles.com/articles/thunderbird_15/english/part_01 this tutorial]. It will walk you through the basic setup and usage of Thunderbird, including:


* How to set up a [http://opensourcearticles.com/articles/thunderbird_15/english/part_01 new email account] and start checking your email
* If you are using a POP account and want to keep a copy of your messages on the mail server so that they are still accessible via webmail, make certain that there is a checkmark at "[[Menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac|Tools -> Account Settings]] -> Server Settings -> Leave messages on server" before you ever download your mail. It should be set by default if you're using a recent version.
* How to make a [[Signatures (Thunderbird) | signature]]
* How to [http://opensourcearticles.com/thunderbird_15/english/part_03 write and send] mail
* How to [http://opensourcearticles.com/thunderbird_15/english/part_04 attach a file] to a message you send
* How to use the [[Junk Mail Controls]]
* How to [http://opensourcearticles.com/thunderbird_15/english/part_06 import] mail and address books
* How to set up and use [[Filters (Thunderbird) | message filters]]
* How to use Thunderbird with [http://opensourcearticles.com/thunderbird_15/english/part_08 newsgroups]
* How to [http://opensourcearticles.com/thunderbird_15/english/part_09 download, install and change themes]
* How to access mail from [http://opensourcearticles.com/thunderbird_15/english/part_10 yahoo and gmail].


One topic the tutorial doesn't address is keeping a copy of your messages on the POP3 server after you check for new messages with Thunderbird, so that you can still access those messages using webmail. In Thunderbird the default setting is to delete all messages from the server after downloading. If you want to keep your messages available for webmail access, you need to check the checkmark at "[[Menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac|Tools -> Account Settings]] -> Server Settings -> Leave messages on server". Do this '''before''' you download your mail for the first time.
* Thunderbird supports using POP and IMAP mail servers for fetching/reading new messages. It does not support webmail. If you want to use webmail (or WebDAV or HTTPMail) with Thunderbird you normally need to use an add-on that emulates a POP server. It has to do some type of web scrapping (an automated way to read the contents of the screen) to do that, which means it may break if the layout of the web page changes. If that happens you can't use it until an updated version is available. See [[Using_webmail_with_your_email_client | Using webmail accounts with Thunderbird]] .  
 
* Thunderbird doesn't provide any way for you to enter the password ahead of time. Instead, when you are prompted for a password there is a checkbox to save the password for the password wizard. If you check that it will automatically enter the password for you next time. If you ever need to change your email providers password you have to do that using webmail (a browser). Thunderbird only saves a copy of the password for its own use, it has no way to change what password your account is supposed to use. After you change your email provider's password delete the saved password using Tools -> Options -> Security -> Passwords -> Saved passwords, exit and restart Thunderbird, and check the checkbox again the next time you are prompted for a password.
 
* See [[Keep_it_working_-_Thunderbird | Keep it working]] for some advice on how to avoid problems.
 
* A lot of Thunderbird's functionality is not built-in, and is available though add-ons. The main locations are [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/ Mozilla Add-ons] (official site), [http://forum.addonsmirror.net/index.php?act=idx Add-ons mirror] (unofficial, despite the name it has many add-ons not on the official web site) and [http://nic-nac-project.de/~kaosmos/index-en.html Kaosmos] (personal web site of somebody who has developed many add-ons).
 
* When you install an add-on it checks a maximum version field to see if it supports the current version of Thunderbird. Originally this wasn't an issue since it might take a year for a new major version to be released. However, Mozilla now releases new major versions every 6-8 weeks. To avoid problems Mozilla automatically updates the maximum version field in a add-on on its web site if they think its likely to work with the latest release. If you are using an add-on from somewhere else, install the [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/add-on-compatibility-reporter/ add-on compatibility reporter add-on]. It disables version checking. Frequently that will let you use the add-on.<br> <p>If the add-on doesn't work uninstall it. If you can't uninstall it, use "help -> restart Thunderbird with add-ons disabled", and then uninstall the add-on. If the add-on works, ignore the warning in the add-on manager about it not being compatible with that version of Thunderbird, its just complaining that you ignored the maximum version field.


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Common misconceptions about Thunderbird]]
* [[Common misconceptions about Thunderbird]]
* [[Creating_accounts_in_Thunderbird_for_popular_email_providers | Creating accounts in Thunderbird for popular email providers]]
* [[Emulate Microsoft email clients]]
* [[Emulate Microsoft email clients]]
* [[Keep_it_working_-_Thunderbird | Keep Thunderbird working]]
* [[Go back to an old version of Thunderbird]]
* [[Using_webmail_with_your_email_client | Using webmail with Thunderbird]]
* [[Importing folders]]
* [[MAPI Support]]
* [[Modify Thunderbird settings]]
* [[Moving_your_profile_folder_-_Thunderbird | Move your profile]]
* [[Profile backup]]
* [[Protecting_the_contents_of_the_profile_-_mail | Protect the contents of your profile]]


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://en.flossmanuals.net/Thunderbird FLOSS manual on Thunderbird] (general information and instructions how to use Thunderbird 3.1)
* [https://security.ngoinabox.org/en/thunderbird_main Security in a box] guide to installing Thunderbird and the Enigmail extension (OpenPGP).
* [https://security.ngoinabox.org/en/thunderbird_main Security in a box] guide to installing Thunderbird and the Enigmail extension (OpenPGP).
* [http://opensourcearticles.com/articles/thunderbird_15/english/part_01 OS tutorial for Thunderbird 1.5]
*[http://mozilla.gunnars.net/thunderbird_mail_setup.html Gunnars.net Thunderbird tutorial] (targeted for 2.0 and earlier versions, thus in part obsolete for 3.x)
*[http://mozilla.gunnars.net/thunderbird_mail_setup.html Gunnars.net Thunderbird tutorial] (targeted for 2.0 and earlier versions, thus in part obsolete for 3.x)
* [http://email.about.com/od/emailbehindthescenes/Behind_the_Scenes_How_Email_Works.htm How email works] (collection of useful articles on e-mail use and hacking)
* [http://email.about.com/od/emailbehindthescenes/Behind_the_Scenes_How_Email_Works.htm How email works] (collection of useful articles on e-mail use and hacking)
[[Category:E-mail account setup (Thunderbird)]]
[[Category:E-mail account setup (Thunderbird)]]

Revision as of 00:18, 25 September 2011

  • The most up to date tutorial is FLOSS manual on Thunderbird. It was a collaborative effort by FLOSS Manuals and Mozilla, originally written for Thunderbird 3.1. While it gets occasional updates it will always have some minor discrepancies due to Thunderbird releasing new versions approximately every 6-8 weeks.
  • If you are using a POP account and want to keep a copy of your messages on the mail server so that they are still accessible via webmail, make certain that there is a checkmark at "Tools -> Account Settings -> Server Settings -> Leave messages on server" before you ever download your mail. It should be set by default if you're using a recent version.
  • Thunderbird supports using POP and IMAP mail servers for fetching/reading new messages. It does not support webmail. If you want to use webmail (or WebDAV or HTTPMail) with Thunderbird you normally need to use an add-on that emulates a POP server. It has to do some type of web scrapping (an automated way to read the contents of the screen) to do that, which means it may break if the layout of the web page changes. If that happens you can't use it until an updated version is available. See Using webmail accounts with Thunderbird .
  • Thunderbird doesn't provide any way for you to enter the password ahead of time. Instead, when you are prompted for a password there is a checkbox to save the password for the password wizard. If you check that it will automatically enter the password for you next time. If you ever need to change your email providers password you have to do that using webmail (a browser). Thunderbird only saves a copy of the password for its own use, it has no way to change what password your account is supposed to use. After you change your email provider's password delete the saved password using Tools -> Options -> Security -> Passwords -> Saved passwords, exit and restart Thunderbird, and check the checkbox again the next time you are prompted for a password.
  • A lot of Thunderbird's functionality is not built-in, and is available though add-ons. The main locations are Mozilla Add-ons (official site), Add-ons mirror (unofficial, despite the name it has many add-ons not on the official web site) and Kaosmos (personal web site of somebody who has developed many add-ons).
  • When you install an add-on it checks a maximum version field to see if it supports the current version of Thunderbird. Originally this wasn't an issue since it might take a year for a new major version to be released. However, Mozilla now releases new major versions every 6-8 weeks. To avoid problems Mozilla automatically updates the maximum version field in a add-on on its web site if they think its likely to work with the latest release. If you are using an add-on from somewhere else, install the add-on compatibility reporter add-on. It disables version checking. Frequently that will let you use the add-on.

    If the add-on doesn't work uninstall it. If you can't uninstall it, use "help -> restart Thunderbird with add-ons disabled", and then uninstall the add-on. If the add-on works, ignore the warning in the add-on manager about it not being compatible with that version of Thunderbird, its just complaining that you ignored the maximum version field.

See also

External links

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