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send receive sending receiving message

This article explains the sending and receiving functions in Thunderbird.

__TOC__ =The Basics= As soon as you’ve [[Automatic Account Configuration|set up an email account]], you’re ready to start sending and receiving messages in Thunderbird. Here’s how to do it. ==Sending a new message== # In the Thunderbird toolbar, click the {button Write} button. The '''Write''' window opens. #;<br>[[Image:write button edit]] # In the '''To''' box, type the email address you want to send the message to. #;<br>For detailed information on addressing please refer to the [[Addressing an Email]] article. #;{note}'''Tip''': Thunderbird automatically saves email addresses in your address book that you've previously sent messages to. After that, Thunderbird autocompletes known addresses as you type them. Just press {key Tab} as soon as the right address appears – the address will be entered and you’ll be on to the next step already.{/note} # In the '''Subject''' box, type the subject of your message. #;<br>[[Image:subject field edit]] # Type your message in the message pane. #;<br>[[Image:message pane edit]] #;{for tb24}{note}'''Tip''': If HTML-formatting of composed text is allowed in account settings, you can customize the appearance of your message with Thunderbird’s word-processing functions in the Formatting Bar above the message pane. Smileys included! [[Image:smiley number 3]]{/note}{/for} # Click the {button Send} button. #;<br>[[Image:send edit]] {note}'''Note''': Thunderbird saves copies of all your sent messages in a '''Sent''' folder.{/note} ==Receiving messages== By default, Thunderbird checks for new messages every time you open the application. It will also automatically check again every 10 minutes, while the application is running. This behavior for both actions can be customized ([[#w_automatically-checking-for-new-messages|see below]].) To check for messages at any other time, click the {for tb31}{button Get Messages}{/for}{for not tb31}{button Get Mail}{/for} button in the toolbar. ;[[Image:get mail edit]] <!-- needs new screenshot for 31 --> ==Customizing how messages are sent and received== Get Thunderbird flying the way you want it! Many settings can easily be customized. ===Automatically checking for new messages=== Set how often you want Thunderbird to automatically check for messages: # Click the {menu {for win,mac}Tools{/for}{for linux}Edit{/for}} menu and click {for tb31}{menu Account Settings}{/for}{for not tb31}{menu Account Settings…}{/for}, or click the Application menu button [[Image:New Fx Menu]] and select {for win}{menu Options}{/for}{for mac,linux}{menu Preferences}{/for} and {menu Account Settings} from the sub-menu. # On the accounts pane, click '''Server Settings''' beneath your account. # Choose the time interval for checking in the '''Check for new messages every''' setting. If you don't want Thunderbird to check automatically, uncheck this setting. # To enable or disable automatically checking for new messages at startup, check or uncheck '''Check for new messages at startup'''. # Click the {button OK} button to close the '''Account Settings''' window and to save your settings. ===Auto-saving=== When you’re writing a new message, your work is auto-saved every five minutes, but you can make it more often, or less: # [[T:optionspreferences TB]] # Click the '''Composition''' panel. # Click the '''General''' tab. # Choose the time interval for auto-save in the '''Auto Save every''' setting. If you don't want Thunderbird to save automatically, uncheck this setting. # {for win,linux}Click the {button OK} button to close the {for win}'''Options'''{/for}{for linux}'''Preferences'''{/for} window and to save your settings.{/for}{for mac}Close the '''Preferences''' window to save your settings.{/for} ===Sound alert for new messages=== Choose your own sound alert for new messages: # [[T:optionspreferences TB]] # Click the '''General''' panel. # Click the '''Use the following sound file''' option. # Click the {button Browse…} button. # Choose your sound file and click the {button Open} button. # You can preview the soundfile by clicking the {button Play} button. # {for win,linux}Click the {button OK} button to close the {for win}'''Options'''{/for}{for linux}'''Preferences'''{/for} window and to save your settings.{/for}{for mac}Close the '''Preferences''' window to save your settings.{/for} ===Marking messages as read=== Thunderbird displays ''unread'' messages in bold type, marking a message ''read'' and in normal type as soon as you click on the message. If you don't like this behavior, you can change the time interval before Thunderbird marks messages as read: # [[T:optionspreferences TB]] # Click the '''{for not tb38}Advanced{/for}{for tb38}Display{/for}''' panel. # Click the '''{for not tb38}Reading & Display{/for}{for tb38}Advanced{/for}''' tab. # Click the '''After displaying for''' option and set how long Thunderbird should delay before marking a message as read. # {for win,linux}Click the {button OK} button to close the {for win}'''Options'''{/for}{for linux}'''Preferences'''{/for} window and to save your settings.{/for}{for mac}Close the '''Preferences''' window to save your settings.{/for} =Advanced= ==Configuring email accounts== When Thunderbird downloads messages, it uses the configuration on the '''Server Settings''' page of each email account. Each email address corresponds to one incoming mail server (either POP or IMAP). To change your accounts server settings: # Click the {menu {for win,mac}Tools{/for}{for linux}Edit{/for}} menu and click {for tb31}{menu Account Settings}{/for}{for not tb31}{menu Account Settings…}{/for}, or click the Application menu button [[Image:New Fx Menu]] and select {for win}{menu Options}{/for}{for mac,linux}{menu Preferences}{/for} and {menu Account Settings} from the sub-menu. # On the accounts pane, click '''Server Settings''' beneath your account. Thunderbird sends messages to the SMTP server that is assigned to the selected email account: # Click the {menu {for win,mac}Tools{/for}{for linux}Edit{/for}} menu and click {for tb31}{menu Account Settings}{/for}{for not tb31}{menu Account Settings…}{/for}, or click the Application menu button [[Image:New Fx Menu]] and select {for win}{menu Options}{/for}{for mac,linux}{menu Preferences}{/for} and {menu Account Settings} from the sub-menu. # On the accounts pane, scroll down the account list. The last item is the '''Outgoing Server (SMTP)'''. Click this item. # Select a server from the list and click the {button Edit…} button. # Make your changes in the '''SMTP Server''' window, and click {button OK} to save your changes and to close the window. Next, the Outgoing SMTP server is assigned to each account: # Click the account and select the desired server from the '''Outgoing Server (SMTP)''' drop-down list. # Save your settings by clicking the {button OK} button. Each email account is listed in the "All Folders" panel on the left side of the Thunderbird interface: ;[[Image:9ac89e4e63de0f3df6d6b04fbadacc04-1263406274-926-1.jpg]] <!-- needs new screenshot for 31 --> For information about manually configuring email accounts, see [[Configure an Account]]. For information about automatically configuring new email accounts, see [[Automatic Account Configuration]]. ==Downloading incoming messages== By default, Thunderbird will check your mail server(s) for new messages on application startup and then ''automatically'' as described earlier in this article. In addition to that, you can check for new messages ''manually'' at any time using several methods described below. To get new messages ''for the currently selected account'': * From the Application menu button: ** Click the Application menu button [[Image:New Fx Menu]]. ** Select {menu File}, then {menu Get New Messages for} and {menu Current Account} from the sub-menu. * Click the {for tb31}{button Get Messages}{/for}{for not tb31}{button Get Mail}{/for} button in the top left corner of Thunderbird's main window. * Use the [[Keyboard Shortcuts TB|keyboard shortcut]]. * Right-click the account in the folder pane and select {menu Get Messages}. * From the menu bar: ** Click the {menu File} menu. ** Select {menu Get New Messages for} and click {menu Current Account} from the sub-menu (where "Current Account" is the account highlighted in the folder pane). To get new messages ''for all accounts'': * From the Application menu button: ** Click the Application menu button [[Image:New Fx Menu]]. ** Select {menu File}, then {menu Get New Messages for} and {menu All Accounts} from the sub-menu. * In the Thunderbird menu bar, click the drop-down arrow of the {for tb31}{button Get Messages &dArr;}{/for}{for not tb31}{button Get Mail &dArr;}{/for} button, and then select {menu Get All New Messages}. * Use the [[Keyboard Shortcuts TB|keyboard shortcut]]. * From the menu bar: ** Click the {menu File} menu. ** Choose {menu Get New Messages for} and click {menu All Accounts} from the sub-menu. ==Composing a new message== To compose a new message: * From the Application menu button: ** Click the Application menu button [[Image:New Fx Menu]]. ** Select {menu New Message} and {menu Message} from the sub-menu. * Click the {button Write} button in the Thunderbird toolbar. * In the Thunderbird menu bar, click the {menu Message} menu and select {menu New Message}. * Use the [[Keyboard Shortcuts TB|keyboard shortcut]]. If an email (or newsgroup) account is highlighted in the '''All Folders''' panel, the message's ''From'' address will default to the selected account. If no account is specified, the ''From'' address will default to the first account configured in the '''Account Settings'''. Click the '''From''' drop-down list to select a different account. Specify one message recipient per line. Click the arrow in the field to the left of the recipient name to specify the type of recipient (for example, "To", "CC", etc). To insert addresses from your address book, enter some of the characters from the person's name in the '''To''' field. A drop-down list will show all address book entries where the first or last name starts with the character(s) you entered{for tb31}, or entries where the string you entered exists{/for}. For example, if you enter "se", anyone in the address book with the last name of "Serrano"{for tb31}, or "Casey"{/for} or the first name of "Sean"{for tb31}, or "Jesse"{/for} would be displayed in the drop-down list. You can also drag and drop addresses from your address book to a new message. Simply open the address book, select the desired entry and drag it to the recipient area of the new message. ==Replying to a message== To reply to a message: * From the Application menu button: ** Click the Application menu button [[Image:New Fx Menu]]. ** Select {menu Message} and then {menu Reply} or {menu Reply All} when the message is displayed. * Click the {button Reply} or {button Reply All} button in the Thunderbird toolbar when the message is displayed. * Right-click the message in the Message List and select {menu Reply to Sender Only} ({key {for linux,win}Ctrl{/for}{for mac}Command{/for} + R}), {menu Reply to All} ({key {for linux,win}Ctrl{/for}{for mac}Command{/for} + Shift + R}) or {menu Reply to List} ({key {for linux,win}Ctrl{/for}{for mac}Command{/for} + Shift + L}). =See Also= * The [http://write.flossmanuals.net/thunderbird/composing-messages/ Composing and Formatting Messages Chapter in the Thunderbird FLOSS manual] * [[Automatic Account Configuration]] ==Problems== * [[Cannot send messages]] * [[Cannot receive messages]]