A primary password is optional and created by the user. If you have forgotten the password, you can reset the account.

1. Choose Tools -> Developer Tools > Error Console and then paste the expression:

  openDialog("chrome://pippki/content/resetpassword.xhtml")  

1. the, press the Evaluate button. That will open a dialog asking you if you want to reset your password. If Evaluate is not seen, press enter key.
2. When prompted, press the Reset button.

The new THUNDERBIRD requires new "Primary Password". The older level Thunderbird did not require it. I find many other users are posting the same complaint on various other open sources. It would be so helpful to have a secure way to set the Thunderbird password if the situation is an UPGRADE... Please! (sheepish grin)

Could you please post a screenshot of the message? This is puzzling, as primary passwords are optional, unless you tick that box at settings>privacy&security.

I became aware of this news last fall. It is many companies and governments reacting to many years where people's financial accounts being raided! I personally had my credit union catch a $9,000 debit on my checking account, and made me change my password and other tweaks.

I easily found this with Google!

You cannot bypass two-factor authentication (2FA) on Facebook without logging in, as 2FA is designed to require an additional verification step beyond your password to access your account. If you're locked out, you'll need to use Facebook's account recovery tools to regain access and then disable 2FA from within your account settings.

!

re :The new THUNDERBIRD requires new "Primary Password".

No it does not. Thunderbird will only prompt for a 'Primary Password' if you have already set it up. It will prompt for Primary Password once per session when you start Thunderbird and it will prompt for Primary Password if you attempt to access the Thunderbird stored Passwords.

In Thunderbird, 'Primary Passwords' are not conditional. They have a single purpose and that is to stop other people who have access to your computer User Account and therefore access to Thunderbird on your desktop from being able to access the stored passwords.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/protect-your-thunderbird-passwords-primary-password

If you do not share your computer with others OR do not allow other people to know your User Account password and logout of computer User Account when away from computer if others are around, then there is no need for that Primary Password. Instead if you want to view stored Passwords you will get a prompt to enter the computer User Account password. So you still have a level of protection. You also have the choice to stop that as well.

'Primary Password' is not enabled by default and can only be set up by the user if required for additional protection especially if others have access to your computer User Account.

The second image is not Thunderbird. So it's not relevant. It's Firefox browser 'Primary Password' window and it does the same thing - protects random people from accessing your stored passwords as only you should know the password you created for that purpose.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/use-primary-password-protect-stored-logins
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-primary-password-sync

Embarrassed Carl here: My description of what impressive Thunderbird is doing ( in my experience )

is not what bird does to me... in my current experience; or is designed to do.  I was NOT clear 

in my complaint description... Yes, I screwed up! I should have explained that. What I expected of Thunderbird is what almost three years of experience taught me. When my results varied from my deserved expectations, I lost my sense of humor! Hindsight now, we at the time did not know... design behavior was improved because of so many money accounts theft (world wide), because Security two-factor security was implemented. I did not know about it.

I did not know about Master Password / Primary Password back then, a couple years back when I installed Thunderbird on an aged Windows-10 machine. It still is Windows-10; it's to old for Windows 11. I'm sure that I am responsible for my mess,

but I still can not  Thunderbird to OPEN, because I can't set and use Primary Password.  

Uninstall and Upgrade to recent upgrades,did not help!

I believe an upgrade on -existing- systems where the Primary Password Can be fixed... will solve mine, and many user's problem!

If you start Thunderbird and it is asking for the Primary Password then you set up your account to use that Primary Password.

Now if you cannot remember that Primary Password, you have to remove it. When you remove it, it will also remove any stored mail account password because it's purpose is to protect the saved passwords. Now, Thunderbird does not know if you are the account holder or not, so that's why if Primary Password is removed then all passwords are removed.

How to remove the Primary Password. That information was given in the first comment made by david. The information is available at this link: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/protect-your-thunderbird-passwords-primary-password#w_reset-your-primary-password-if-you-have-forgotten-it

I've added an image below as a guide - if you need to see it larger then access this question in forum and clickon the image and it will display larger.

In basic terms:

1. In Thunderbird (not Firefox)
2. Tools > Developer Tools > select 'Error Console'
3. Clear the error console by clicking on the Bin icon
4. Copy the following line:
5. openDialog("chrome://pippki/content/resetpassword.xhtml")
6. Paste it into the 'Error Console' after the >>
7. Press the 'Enter/Return' key on keyboard
8. At the prompt, click on the 'Reset' button
9. Then Exit Thunderbird - wait a few moments for background processes to complete.
10. Start Thunderbird.

This time you will get asked for passwords; they want the 'mail account' passwords. That means the same password you would use to logon to see the webmail account for that email address.

Thunderbird will not Open. or launch. I can not change settings if Thunderbird does not open/start. All I have visible to me is... the Primary Password prompt.

"Cntrl-Alt-Del" Task Manager shows : "Thunderbird" (Status "Not responding") For me to retry Thunderbird Start: there is no system click's response until I Use the "system's task manager to " end" the not responding Status. Uninstall / re-install Thunderbird changes nothing at all! First response to the new install effort is the Primary Password Popup.

Uninstall does not clear the Windows settings of the prior install of Thunderbird. (!)

re :Uninstall / re-install Thunderbird changes nothing at all!

It is very rare when an uninstall/reinstall ever sorts out a problem because the issue you have has nothing to do with the program itself.

When you see that Primary Password pop up box - what happens if you click on 'Cancel' ?

Cancel clears the prompt window. Start, again; the Prompt window displays again. I also try Task Manager, "Run as Administrator" Same response--- show the prompt again. I recall Thunderbird back level; Initial Thunderbird install, the prompt window shows. Leave password empty... no problem. First time password is entered, normal Windows behavior becomes normal.

Cancel clears the prompt window. Start, again; the Prompt window displays again. I also try Task Manager, "Run as Administrator" Same response--- show the prompt again. I recall Thunderbird back level; Initial Thunderbird install, the prompt window shows. Leave password empty... no problem. First time password is entered, normal Windows behavior becomes normal.

The request for a password is a modal window, so Thunderbird will be frozen until such time as that window is cleared by pressing the escape key. This image shows Thunderbird as hung, but it is not clear if that is pre or post clearing the password request. If Thunderbird remains hung after the request for password is cleared we have a completely different issue, quite possible caused by an external source. My first guess would be an antivirus product that is trying to cover for the deficiencies of a very old operating system or is itself just deficient. One of the sad things about this type of software is the higher rated and more popular it is the more likely it is to be the root cause of problems.

Some standard moves are;

• Set an exclusion in your antivirus for the Thunderbird profile folder. Thunderbird does not share well and scanning the 10gb inbox at the same time Thunderbird is trying to open it can simply cause instant contention failure.
• Make sure any software firewall is not blocking the exact version of Thunderbird you have. Sometimes a XX.XX.01 version will be blocked when the XX.XX version was fine.
• Thunderbird stores it's settings in .JS files. Some antivirus and other so called security software attempt to block access to these. A good result does not follow.

It is always helpful to be able to start the operating system in safe mode with networking as that is a bare bones system loaded just to see if the problem goes aware. A process of elimination can than occur. That mode howeve4r requires a wired internet connection as windows does not load WIFI in that mode.

Thunderbird is version 136.0.1.0 Esc caused -Task Manager -to change message to: Password Required - Mozilla - Thunderbird(2) but no prompt window. <===

Status: Side topic: I have lost my aged address book, never recoverable! !My conclusion; I have no way on this machine...to change/set the Primary Password! I have no way to reinstall Thunderbird and have it open, run, and be useful... after the Thunderbird Primary Password is set.... and a password has then become available!

The Windows system, and the included address book, can never be recovered without that password. Maybe reinstalling Windows would work? A New or used machine would be more practical?

And I'm very impressed with all the effort and help here! I also did learn some new things. Thank you!

re :Thunderbird is version 136.0.1.0

Q: Did you get that as a download from 'Windows App Store' or from this link: https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/

If downloaded from somewhere other than the link eg: 'Windows App Store - uninstall and then reinstall Thunderbird from the website at the link - then we will know it's definitely looking in the default location for profile. Please let us know you are using the install from the link.

Firewall (This might be default that ~Windows OS installed or it might be controlled by an AntiVirus you installed) Q: In the Firewall, please confirm - is Thunderbird now set up as an allowed program ?

Anti-Virus (This might be the default that was installed with Windows OS OR it might be one you installed eg: Norton365) Q: Did you make the Thunderbird profile folder as exempt from scanning? If not then please do so.

In 'Task Manager' make sure all the Thunderbird processes are not running.

Create a folder on Desktop and call it 'TB'

I've added an image to help with the next stage.

• In windows search bottom left of screen type %Appdata%
• Select the %Appdata% file folder
• SElect the 'Roaming' folder
• Select the 'Thunderbird' folder
• Select the 'Profiles' folder
• Select the 'profile name' folder it looks something like this '123h4dfg.default', so you can see it's contents.

• Scroll down and locate the following files and 'move' them - drag them out of the profile name folder and drop into the 'TB' folder on desktop. OR rename All of them by putting an X at the front eg: Xlogins.json

1. cert8.db (now obselete - can be deleted)
2. cert9.db
3. key3.db (now obselete - can be deleted)
4. key4.db
5. logins.json

Start Thunderbird.

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