Automatic Conversion of Google mail accounts to OAuth 2.0 Authentication

Revision Information
  • Revision id: 243160
  • Created:
  • Creator: Michele Rodaro
  • Comment: {menu Exceptions}/{menu Allow}/{menu Save Changes} -> {button …}
  • Reviewed: Yes
  • Reviewed:
  • Reviewed by: wsmwk
  • Is approved? Yes
  • Is current revision? No
  • Ready for localization: No
Revision Source
Revision Content

Thunderbird 91.8.0, released 5th April 2022, converts Gmail accounts to OAuth 2.0 to help users comply with Google's requirement of OAuth 2.0 for Gmail logins. These changes are required by Google.

If you have cookies disabled in Thunderbird then the OAuth process will fail, because cookies must be enabled for OAuth 2.0 authentication flow to work properly. Without cookies to store data between page updates, the authentication flow cannot successfully complete the web pages served by Google.

To avoid or correct the problem, do one of the following:

  • Ensure that Accept cookies from sites is enabled at > Preferences > type cookies into the search field. You can disable cookies after the OAuth process is completed, and receiving and sending mail will work with cookies disabled. But when the OAuth token for Gmail access expires at some date in the future, the OAuth process will be needed again, which will require cookies to be enabled.
  • Create an exception with cookies disabled at > Preferences > Privacy & Security > Web Content > Accept cookies from sites (with Accept unchecked), click Exceptions and enter an address of https://accounts.google.com. Pick Allow, then Save Changes.

If you still have problems, you will want to use "Get Help" to ask a question in Thunderbird support.