Thunderbird does not save account settings – missing prefs.js
Hello, I have a problem with Mozilla Thunderbird. After adding a new email account, it works correctly, but after closing and restarting Thunderbird, the account disappears completely.
In the Thunderbird profile folder, there is no standard prefs.js file. Instead, I have multiple files such as prefs-1.js, prefs-2.js, prefs-3.js, etc.
I use Windows 11 with McAfee. I found information suggesting that this issue may occur when security software prevents Thunderbird from correctly saving or updating prefs.js. I have now completely disabled McAfee.
Could you please advise me how to safely restore the correct prefs.js file and make Thunderbird save the account configuration properly?
تمام جوابات (3)
Check the dates on the prefs files. If the highest numbered one has a current date, you could
- exit thunderbird
- copy the existing prefs.js elsewhere (in case things go wrong)
- then delete the prefs.js and rename that other one to be prefs.js and restart thunderbird
Be sure to check the dates.
This does not fix the problem, but it may show the account you created. VPNs can be problems. Any software that is security aware is suspect.
Thank you. I checked the dates carefully.
Unfortunately, the newest numbered file is prefs-7.js, dated October 5, 2024. The other numbered prefs files are even older. At the same time, this is definitely the active Thunderbird profile and other files in the same profile are being modified today (September 22, 2026).
What I find particularly strange is that there is no current prefs.js file at all. I enabled the display of hidden files and file extensions in Windows and also searched the computer for prefs.js, but I could not find any current Thunderbird prefs.js file anywhere.
I had actually considered renaming prefs-7.js to prefs.js, as you suggested, but I decided against it because that file is almost two years old. Since this is my work email account, I don't want to risk restoring a very old configuration and potentially causing problems with the accounts that are currently working.
I use McAfee and have temporarily disabled it for testing. Could McAfee or another security component have prevented Thunderbird from properly creating/updating prefs.js for such a long time?
Is there a safe way to make Thunderbird generate a new, current prefs.js without risking the existing accounts, folders and mail configuration?
I'm glad you didn't overwrite with an older version. Whew! Since the old prefs are old, it's safe to remove them. I don't know why, but the prefs.js is sometimes hidden. It may do nothing, but I would shut down, reboot, check task manager that McAfee is not running, and then start thunderbird and make any small change, such as switch from HTML to plain text and then exit and restart and see if that tiny change took. I am not a tech whiz guy as some are, but that test will let you know if it's working.
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