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Thunderbird (2020) keeps asking for password when trying to send emails

  • 7 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 329 views
  • Last reply by tamjk

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Almost every time I try to send an email Thunderbird asks for my password. I type it in and check the "box" to save password. Password is saved in the security password file but next time I try to send email I get the same error. But like said before, sometimes it goes through without asking for password. Very frustrating.

Almost every time I try to send an email Thunderbird asks for my password. I type it in and check the "box" to save password. Password is saved in the security password file but next time I try to send email I get the same error. But like said before, sometimes it goes through without asking for password. Very frustrating.

Chosen solution

@ lcro66 If the information in this topic does not help you, I suggest you move on to one that does contain useful information to you. You have NOT contributed to a solution here at all. Please note I have answered questions on where to download a older version probably more than a thousand times in this forum, so I will not be answering you. I suggest you use Google to locate some of the hundreds of previous responses.

Just be aware this latest version makes going back with your profile data hard. You might want to actually elucidate in your question (by editing it, not replying to yourself) what it is you are trying to achieve. Most people asking to go back simply need to restart Thunderbird.

@sbecker. So you have solved your problem by installing emclient. So do I close this topic as solved? If not try the following;

To diagnose problems with Thunderbird, try one of the following:

  • Restart Thunderbird with add-ons disabled (Thunderbird Safe Mode). On the Help menu, click on "Restart with Add-ons Disabled". If Thunderbird works like normal, there is an Add-on or Theme interfering with normal operations. You will need to re-enable add-ons one at a time until you locate the offender.
  • Restart the operating system in safe mode with Networking. This loads only the very basics needed to start your computer while enabling an Internet connection. Click on your operating system for instructions on how to start in safe mode: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, OSX
If safe mode for the operating system fixes the issue, there's other software in your computer that's causing problems. Possibilities include but not limited to: AV scanning, virus/malware, background downloads such as program updates.
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All Replies (7)

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Hi Try deleting the password from Thunderbird's saved passwords, and then saving again when prompted. Depending on your version of Thunderbird, and possibly whether you are using 2 factor authentication, this answer may help. It mentions a workaround for Tbird not saving passwords. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1271914

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Tried it on more than one occasion. Checked all the settings and everything is as it should be. Deleted Tbird and reloaded. Didn't help. My Cox webmail works without any problems. Decided to download a different mail client, eMClient. Works great with no problems. I used Tbird for years and never had this problem. Looks like they lost me. They certainly have not been any help.

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I agree with you. I don't like that you can never get any help from thunderbird. All you can do is post on this forum. Bad customer service. I am switching too. I have used it many years also, but I am tired of all of the problems lately.

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Thanks for your reply. I did like Thunderbird. Sure hope that get it fixed. But until recently not very happy with it. Stan

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I think I am tired. Just read my reply. Pretty bad. Actually, until recently liked Tbird alot. Maybe if some of their "guru's" read these comments they would do something about the problem.

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Chosen Solution

@ lcro66 If the information in this topic does not help you, I suggest you move on to one that does contain useful information to you. You have NOT contributed to a solution here at all. Please note I have answered questions on where to download a older version probably more than a thousand times in this forum, so I will not be answering you. I suggest you use Google to locate some of the hundreds of previous responses.

Just be aware this latest version makes going back with your profile data hard. You might want to actually elucidate in your question (by editing it, not replying to yourself) what it is you are trying to achieve. Most people asking to go back simply need to restart Thunderbird.

@sbecker. So you have solved your problem by installing emclient. So do I close this topic as solved? If not try the following;

To diagnose problems with Thunderbird, try one of the following:

  • Restart Thunderbird with add-ons disabled (Thunderbird Safe Mode). On the Help menu, click on "Restart with Add-ons Disabled". If Thunderbird works like normal, there is an Add-on or Theme interfering with normal operations. You will need to re-enable add-ons one at a time until you locate the offender.
  • Restart the operating system in safe mode with Networking. This loads only the very basics needed to start your computer while enabling an Internet connection. Click on your operating system for instructions on how to start in safe mode: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, OSX
If safe mode for the operating system fixes the issue, there's other software in your computer that's causing problems. Possibilities include but not limited to: AV scanning, virus/malware, background downloads such as program updates.
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It started happening to me lately. Mind you, it had happened before but usually if there was some network connection issue, e.g. if I opened TB immediately on PC start-up when many other start-up processes were still completing and maybe having priority over the CPU or network. Shutting TB down and reopening it usually solved this. A PC restart in other cases. But I had no such issue last night. A routine reply to an email received produced a demand for a password - something I had experienced since turning my email over to SSL on the orders of my mail host. In my case I can recall all my email passwords. But I've put TB into several of my (non-IT proficient) customers' PCs and I'm sure that they won't remember their email passwords. Of course the passwords are in a little red book somewhere - but if these customers are working abroad or on vacation, they won't want a problem like this !

To me emclient is not the answer since I'll be migrating to Ubuntu and Manjaro (from Win 10) on my work machines soon and I'm not having .NET on these if I can help it. In any case emclient can hardly be better than TB.

I think it is time that the Thunderbird team takes stock of what they have in terms of core functionality and add-on capability. An assessment of where they are as regards application stability is also urgently needed. Forget about the appearance of the GUI for the time being. Technically proficient TB users have to be prepared to help in this endeavour too.