Thunderbird isn't actually saving my password even though I keep checking the save password box. Fails to retrieve mail when I check the box.
I recently migrated my Thunderbird profile to a new computer. Everything works great, except that Thunderbird just won't remember my password for the account. I'm the only user on the machine, and I'm only checking one account, so I don't want to set up a Master Password... I just want the program to store my password for the one mail account. I do get the "Do want to save your password?" question every time I launch the program... but if I check the box to do this, mail is not retrieved. (No error message, just nothing happens.) If I enter the password without checking the box, mail is retrieved. Same with sending - I am asked for the password the first time per session that I send a message. If I check the "save password" box sending fails. If I don't check the box, sending succeeds.
This has been consistent behavior for about a month now. I'm not just randomly entering the password incorrectly. It happens this way every time.
What is up? Is there any fix for this? I just want Thunderbird to remember my password.
Chosen solution
Try this:
Make hidden files and folders visible
In thunderbird
- Help > Troubleshooting Information
- click on 'show Folder' button
a new window opens showing profile folder name.
- Close Thunderbird now - this is important
- Scroll down - locate and delete this file: key3.db
- Close window - top right X
Restart Thunderbird.
At the prompt to enter password, enter password and select the "Use Password Manager to remember the password" checkbox and click on OK.
Note: If you use a product like CCleaner, then it is probably clearing session and password info. In which case you need to make exception for thunderbird files in CCleaner to stop it cleaning Thunderbird information.
Please report back on results.
Read this answer in context 👍 4All Replies (5)
Have you looked at the stored passwords?
Tools|Options|Security|Passwords→Saved Passwords
If you have more than one stored for an account, Thunderbird may not know which to use. Deleting all/any stored passwords for the affected account may help.
Note that the password should be stored twice; once for incoming, and again for outgoing.
I have looked and there are no saved passwords. This is one of the reasons I think that the program is not saving my password.
Chosen Solution
Try this:
Make hidden files and folders visible
In thunderbird
- Help > Troubleshooting Information
- click on 'show Folder' button
a new window opens showing profile folder name.
- Close Thunderbird now - this is important
- Scroll down - locate and delete this file: key3.db
- Close window - top right X
Restart Thunderbird.
At the prompt to enter password, enter password and select the "Use Password Manager to remember the password" checkbox and click on OK.
Note: If you use a product like CCleaner, then it is probably clearing session and password info. In which case you need to make exception for thunderbird files in CCleaner to stop it cleaning Thunderbird information.
Please report back on results.
Thanks! That did it.
Having the same problem. Saved passwords shows my password for inbound email, but not outbound. I keep having to re-enter the password. The chosen solution above doesn't make sense to me. I'm not seeing any of that in Thunderbird.