AOL isn't letting me use Thurnderbird to download Emails
I've had AOL for an Email provider for several years now. I rarely went to the website to check my Email cause Thunderbird was linked to it. But today, AOL seems to be turning off my Thunderbird (I can't send or receive Email at the moment). It's like malware with the continuous popups making me log in to AOL to use Thunderbird but then ending up on some Yahoo Oops screen. I've been using Thunderbird since before I transitioned to AOL after moving.
It's been working fine up until today. When I do anything on Thunderbird, the annoying popup screens appear wanting me to log in. Any ideas? Have I been hacked?
All Replies (6)
- What version of Thunderbird?
- What is your operating system?
You haven't been hacked. AOL IS Yahoo, that is, Yahoo hosts AOL's email service. Yahoo requires the use if OAuth2 for authentication. It looks like you are already set up for that, but please confirm your Incoming and SMTP server settings to make sure.
OAuth2 will require you to enter your credentials on a new device, and program or operating system updates might be seen as "new" devices. Until you do so you won't be able to send or receive.
In order for OAuth2 to work, you Thunderbird must be set to allow cookies, so please check that (the setting is found at <Settings | Privacy & Security | Web Content | Accept cookies from sites>.)
Thunderbird version: 153.3.1esr OS: Linux, Zorin 18
Hi Lin - I went to AOL and selected 2 step authentication but AOL is still not letting me get my Email from Thunderbird. I'm set so I can get cookies from websites, the settings are all the same. This is new. I was using Thunderbird to collect Email already. In the last couple of days, Thunderbird stopped doing that. When I try to log in I get the popups asking me to verify my settings. If I click either the verify button or the skip button, it takes me to the Yahoo Oops screen. It seem to me that AOL is behind this problem. Is that what you think - making me sign up for two step verification?
Thanks Jesse
Did you check the 'I agree to ... the Terms' box?
Yes, I did. Am I the only one complaining about this?
Actually, you might not be the only one. I see several bug reports about similar authentication issues that seem to involve a combination Yahoo + Linux + (possibly) Firefox. It's still being investigated and no fix has been found yet. I'm not saying this is what you're seeing, but they smell related to me.
One workaround that appears to have helped a couple people whose default browser is Firefox, is to make a different web browser the default temporarily. Brave was installed by default on my Zorin setup. Is it on yours? Once you get successfully authorized you could change it back to your preferred.
Lin trɔe
Hi Lin - You were right. I think since I accepted 2stepID, AOL is letting me use Thunderbird as an Email client. I've checked all kinds of settings the last few days but I think AOL was holding Thunderbird hostage until they made me turn on 2stepID. Do you know if there was an announcement or notice that 2stepID was necessary to use an Email client? I resent having to search out online tech about what has to happen to keep you Email client. I live alone. I don't think I need 2stepID. Thanks for the help.
jesselashcraft trɔe
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