If you're being asked for a password, it is because your email provider requested one. Thunderbird is only an agent. It might also be that your email provider has changed settings for accounts.

I put my email providers pass word in but thunderbird does not recognize it. I can read my emails at the providers site but its very clumsy. Like I said, Ive had Thunderbird for about 16 or 17 years without any problems.. Your answer does not solve my problem

To possibly help, we need to see much more info, such as a screenshot of the incoming server settings pane, the SMTP server settings pane, and the complete text of error message. Thank you

I made 2 screen shots (PDF format) of what pops up as I try to get access. However your site will not accept a PDF. Can I save it in some other version that your site will accept? Please advise

You need to create image files for images saved in a image format such as jpeg. PDF is not an image file, it's a document which you put the image into. You obviously created an image otherwise you could not have put it into a PDF document. Only image files can be uploaded. Just save image as a jpeg image file and upload it.

You probably never needed to insert password because it was auto saved and the password was always used to access the account. However, many servers have altered how people can access server and some now need secure mail key also known as app generated password. So when we know what server settings you are using we can check it they are correct and also advise on whether the server you use has altered any requirements.

It would also be useful to know whether you are getting any errors because the wording can offere some insight into what is wrong. When you click on 'Get Messages' maybe you get the error pop up - please upload an image of that error.

There are no messages in "get messages" Attached are the 2 screenshots and this is the point where I cant proceed any more. I even put in the password of my email provider but it would not accept it. Im at a total stand still with Thunderbird. Can you fix it?

Hi david asked for :much more info, such as a screenshot of the incoming server settings pane, the SMTP server settings pane, and the complete text of error message. Thank you

However, neither of those images show any details about the server. We need images that show the following data:

1. 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for the account has the incoming server settings
2. 'Account Settings' > 'Outgoing Server (SMTP)' will list all smtp outgoing servers and you need to select the one used by the account to see details.

The second image is the 'Account Hub' which is currently experimental and operates when you are trying to add a mail account. You are not trying to add a mail account; as I understand it, you already have a mail account.

When you click on 'Get Messages' - in the bottom Status bar it will offer info on what it is doing. If it cannot access server because something is wrong then you would get a small window pop up with the error stating it cannot access server. The image you posted is not the pop up error message requesting a password for an account already created. We need an image of that error message as it may offer an insight into the issue.

In Account Settings there is no "Server Settings" but did find "Outgoing Server". And there are no messages in "Get Messages". In the "Account Hub" it asks for a pass word which I never had. If you could just supply a pass word of sorts the whole setup would probably continue. This is very frustrating - all I want is my Thunderbird email again

OK.

For some unknown reason you have changed the name of the 'Local Folders' account to your name. 'Local Folders' is a special account which is auto created by Thunderbird. So where you see 'Victor Mausser' that is not a mail account, it is 'Local Folders'.

You have 'Unified Folders' enabled which is only used to amalgamate all the contents of all the mail accounts into a virtual folder. eg: Inbox would be a Unified Inbox and it would display all emails that are in all the various account Inboxes.

In 'Account Settings', it shows you do not have a mail account. But I can see you have smtp outgoing servers, so at some point in the past you did have a mail account but you have removed it.

re :There are no messages in "get messages" That's because there is no mail account, so it's not possible to 'Get Messages'.

AS the Account Hub is still being perfected and brand new, I suggest you make sure that option is switched off.

• Settings > General
• Scroll to 'Account Hub'
• uncheck this option : 'Create accounts in the new Account Hub'

Now make sure all saved passwords have been removed.

• Settings > Privacy & Security
• Scroll down to 'Passwords' section
• click on 'Saved Passwords'
• click on 'Show Passwords'

You will see two lines for each mail account - one is incoming and the other outgoing. You might like to make a note of the password before you remove all the lines.

POP accounts use: mailbox://pop.shentel.net..... used by incoming server IMAP accounts use: imap://imap.shentel.net..... used by incoming server Outgoing SMTP uses: smtp://smtp.shentel.net....

Delete all lines for the account.

Now you need to make sure your password is correct. To do that, logon to your webmail account via a browser:

• https://webmail.shentel.net/v1/recover/options.asp?autologin=true

if you cannot get acces - on that same login webpage there should be a 'trouble signing in?' link - please click on it and follow instructions to get access to the webmail account. Once in the webmail account you can reset the password.

Once you have got access to the webmail account then you know the correct password to use.

In Thunderbird.

• Menu app icon > New account > Email
• Enter name, full email address and password
• click on 'Continue'

Thunderbird knows many of the popular server settings and by default usually looks up IMAP settings. If you want to use POP or need to manually set up server settings then click on 'Manual Config' button

Server Settings Please make sure you use the correct server settings. There are some differences between IMAP and POP.

I looked at the shentel website for server settings: https://support.shentel.com/expresshelp/email/configuration-settings-for-email-clients

Shentel IMAP Settings

• Server name: imap.shentel.net
• Port: 993
• Connection SEcurity: SSL/TLS
• Authentication Method: Normal Password
• username: full email address

Shentel POP Settings

• Server name: pop.shentel.net
• Port: 995
• Connection SEcurity: SSL/TLS
• Authentication Method: Normal Password
• username: full email address

Shentel SMTP Settings

• Outgoing Server name: smtp.shentel.net
• Port: 465
• Connection Security: SSL/TLS
• Authentication Method: Normal Password
• username: full email address

It's important to make sure there are no typos or spelling mistakes. Even the punctuation must be correct, so do not use a comma if you need to use a full stop.

Did all that. Have Outgoing Server. It still keeps asking for a password, the only password I have is from Shentel but this setup will not recognize it Attached is a jpeg of how I was able to set up Thunderbird step by step (for about 17 years) - I dont get this option anymore.

Look, this is getting nowhere. For about 17 years Thunderbird worked just fine until a week or 2 ago I suddenly needed a password which I never had or needed. I even made a donation to you recently hoping I would get a positive result. How about just giving me a temporary password, then after (I hope) a successful setup, I can then officially create my own password and replace your temporary one and everything should be back to normal, yes, maybe? Victor Mausser

Thunderbird cannot provide passwords to anyone, as Thunderbird does not administer email accounts. No email client can do that. Email clients are AGENTS for the user, serving as a tool to manage incoming and outgoing messages, complete with addressbooks and filters and search tools. The only way you can get a new password is to contact your email provider.

I have a password from my email provider but it only works to access my emails from the provider. Thunderbird will not accept that password when I'm trying to re-create my Thunderbird account. I'm still at a dead end.

re :I even made a donation to you recently hoping I would get a positive result.

Many thanks for your donation, it's veru much appreciated as that goes towards maintaining the Thunderbird program, fixing bugs, keeping security up to date and providing this webpage support forum. It does not pay for any personal help. All help on this forum is provided by volunteers in an unpaid capacity.

re :For about 17 years Thunderbird worked just fine until a week or 2 ago I suddenly needed a password which I never had or needed.

You did have a password whether you realised it or not. It was saved in the location I told you about in my previous comment. It's the same password you would need to use when logging on to the shentel webmail account. It's impossible for anyone to have an account with shentel or indeed any email provider and not require a password to access it.

I specifically stated some things you needed to do, and you had to do them in a specific order. But I do not know if you did everything exactly as I advised. Can you please provide information/feedback for each of the following:

1. Make sure your password is correct. To do that, logon to your webmail account via a browser:

• https://webmail.shentel.net/v1/recover/options.asp?autologin=true

I'm assuming you did get access to webmail as you mention "the only password I have is from Shentel " Did you get access to your webmail account to see emails on the server ? This is important. If you got access then you know the password.

2. Have you accessed Settings as advised and switched off the 'Account Hub' option ?

3. Did you check stored passwords and make sure they were all removed?

4. Have you then created a pop mail account using the server settings provided?

5. Did you check the stored passwords in Thunderbird to see if they are now correct?

• Settings > Privacy & Security
• Scroll down to 'Passwords' section
• click on 'Saved Passwords'
• click on 'Show Passwords'

• mailbox://pop.shentel.net..... used by incoming server
• smtp://smtp.shentel.net.... used by outgoing SMTP

Are the usernames correct = full email address Are the passwords correct? It must be exactly the same password you use to access webmail account.

To edit a stored password:

• Right click on relevant line and select 'Edit Password'
• Completely clear all contents
• Carefully type the correct password
• click on 'Close'
• REstart Thunderbird.

6. Thanks for the image - it looks as if scanned by something - but that image is not anything to do with a new account you needed to create - I can tell it's not current because the contents of that Account Settings window have changed over the years. That looks like an old version.

Please upload current image of the newly created Pop account Server Settings and outgoing smtp server settings.

Could you please post screenshots of your actual settings? Seeing exactly what Thunderbird sees may prove helpful. I attached screenshot to show where those settings are found.

re :Thunderbird will not accept that password when I'm trying to re-create my Thunderbird account.

Ahhh, so you have not created a new pop account as yet. It's not Thunderbird that accepts any password, it's the server.

Firewall - please access your Firewall - it might be the default on computer OS or it might be controlled by an Anti-Virus product you installed. Thunderbird must be set up as ana llowed program.

Please confirm Thunderbird is set up as an allowed program.

VPN Please check computer for any VPN that may be enabled. Some Anti-Virus products now offer a VPN and some auto enabled them. Switch off VPN.

In Thunderbird: Did you switch off the 'Account Hub' option ?

Please post image(s) showing what you see when trying to create the pop account.