Add'l info:

I found that on my home desktop computer I am not asked by Thunderbird to submit a password for my first (top-most) email account/identity (so apparently the saved password for that account works OK when Thunderbird is initiated). BTW, the passwords held/saved by Thunderbird are correct and work when entered manually at the email providers' website, they have not been changed in several years.

Also, I am able to send or forward emails from my first (top-most) Thunderbird email account/identity; received emails displayed in that account are up-to-date/uninterrupted, but my other email accounts in Thunderbird show only far-outdated (old) emails, and Thunderbird asks me for a password when I click on the account's inbox, only to reject the password which is known to be correct (the same password works when entered manually at the email provider's website... Zoho or Googlemail).

Add'l info:

I should have said in my prior response:

The first (top-most) email account/identity and the last (bottom) email account in the Thunderbird window are working fine and do not require me to enter a password; the accounts in between those are the ones requesting and rejecting the same passwords that work fine when I go directly to Zoho and Googlemail respectively

Further info:

In checking my laptop and desktop versions of Thunderbird, I find that automatic Thunderbird updates were installed on the desktop June 3rd and July 29th (when a friend visited my home and used my desktop computer) and on my laptop June 6th and July 12th.

Now the question is, what parameters might have been changed by those releases that would have affected my ability to do an automatic login to my email accounts (most likely a July 12th update 78.11.0 for the 32-bit laptop, possibly 78.12.0 for the 64-bit desktop), and why do only the first and last of my list of Thunderbird email accounts get logged on automatically now and my (known good) passwords are not accepted???

Is there a way to revert to prior release(s)?

I am adding some clarifying info. I'm hoping someone may have insight... the current situation is really puzzling, affecting both my computers.

I can access the 1st and 5th email identities without issues, of the 5 identities in Thunderbird (names are changed here to maintain my privacy), they come up automatically with Thunderbird:

   xxx1@yyyy.com  ...email account at Zoho.com (my email provider) ...comes up automatically in Tbird
   xxx2@yyyy.com  ...email account at Zoho.com (my email provider) ...Tbird asks for & rejects password
   xxx3@yyyy.com  ...email account at Zoho.com (my email provider) ...Tbird asks for & rejects password
   xxx4@gmail.com  ...gmail account ...Tbird asks for & rejects password
   xxx5@yyyy.com  ...email account at Zoho.com (my email provider) ...comes up automatically in Tbird

I have been through the Thunderbird settings many times, and the Zoho accounts all appear to have matching Thunderbird settings (only the name is different... xxx1, xxx2, etc).

If I access the errant Zoho accounts directly on Zoho, I can access them using the same password I tried to use in Thunderbird ...but I hate Zoho's user interface, I really, really want to get Thunderbird working!

how about just copy and paste of the account information from the troubleshooting information on the help menu.

Drag over the text to select and Ctrl+C to copy the selected text.

I'm sorry, Matt, I'm not sure what information you are asking me for from the voluminous data in the Troubleshooting section. Do you mean the "Mail and News Accounts" section? If so, it is attached.

Meantime, I tried to implement a new copy of Thunderbird from scratch in a Win 10 virtual machine. I was successful with 3 accounts but the 4th one (a Zoho mail account) failed when Thunderbird checked the password while building the account. Once again I was able to use Firefox in incognito mode to go to Zoho and sign in using the same password that failed when Thunderbird tried to use it.

lets try the basic first. Check that something has not happened to the settings on the ZOHO site. Is IMAP still enabled? https://www.zoho.com/mail/help/imap-access.html

IF that didn't work then I suggest you try both Thunderbird troubleshooting mode (Troubleshooting Mode from the help menu)

and the operating systems safe mode with networking and then Thunderbird in troubleshooting mode to see if it starts working in any circumstance.

Restart Windows 10 in safe mode with networking (WIFI is not available. Wired internet only.)

Thanks for the reply, Matt.

I'm not sure you read my earlier posts... I have 5 email accounts in Thunderbird, 4 of which are hosted by Zoho.com. All 4 Zoho email accounts are defined as IMAP Mail Server / imap.zoho.com / port 993 / SSL/TLS / normal password

The 1st and the 5th of the 5 accounts in the Thunderbird email account list are Zoho accounts; they work. The 2nd and 3rd are also Zoho accounts, the 4th is a gmail account; they do not work, they fail on password even though the correct password is in Thunderbird's password file, and when Thunderbird then asks me for the password, and I enter it, I am again blocked due to incorrect password. The same password works if I use Firefox to go to Zoho.com and log in manually there). When using Firefox, though, I need to use Firefox in incognito mode, due to residual cookies in Firefox that interfere with my ability to log in to Zoho, but I don't think that should be an issue when I use Thunderbird to access email.

The 4th account is a gmail account, and it gives me the same "incorrect password" issue as the errant Zoho accounts. Here again I can use my browser to go to googlemail and log in.

I normally use Thunderbird on my desktop computer. I left on extended vacation at the end of June, taking a laptop with me (which also has Thunderbird installed with my email accounts defined). Thunderbird is a startup program on the desktop and was working fine when I left.

My laptop was a used one I bought and tailored in June for my trip; I do not remember using it for email prior to leaving on my trip. In early July I was unable to get to the middle 3 accounts using Thunderbird on my laptop. In mid-September I returned home and found my desktop computer had the same issues as my laptop. Thunderbird is auto-started when I power up either computer, and so I assume Thunderbird on my desktop updated itself the first time I brought up Thunderbird upon my return... therefore, I became concerned that a Thunderbird update may have caused my problems.

I will look into trying troubleshooting mode, likely tomorrow. But, both computers rely on WiFi, so I am unable to use Win 10 "safe mode with networking".

And is IMAP enabled for each of those accounts? I don't need to read anything to try and bring this back to basic troubleshooting steps.

I suggested troubleshooting mode "safe mode with networking", again no prior reading required. It is standard procedure to eliminate third party software (in this case a password manager or anti virus is my guess) but it is standard procedure because third party products often react badly to updates.

My personal feeling it having Thunderbird as a startup program is a poor choice as those seeking support appear to have it configured that way far more frequently than I would think is "normal" It is also an exceedingly busy time for the operating system so things can load out of order. like the mail client loading before the anti virus firewall so the firewall blocks outgoing connections and other interesting and frustrating things. I suggest you close and re open Thunderbird on each boot before trying any diagnostics at all.

I have had Thunderbird as a startup program on both computers for years, without issue.

I am attaching info from the Zoho website re your request.

I noticed that the imap server names did not match exactly (imap.zoho.com versus imappro.zoho.com) but making that alteration in my Thunderbird did not change anything, I still am asked for a password for the 3 middle accounts (2 zoho and 1 gmail account), and the correct password is rejected in each case.

I don't think the first and last Zoho accounts would work, if being on the startup list was an issue, nor would it explain why my Gmail account doesn't work.

Matt, could you clarify something you wrote.... You said to use troubleshooting mode from the Help menu, but that option does not exist on the Help menu; did you mean to go to Troubleshooting Information and click on "Restart with Add-ons Disabled"?

If so, I did try that, but it didn't change anything, the 3 middle accounts all ask for a password but reject the correct password (the passwords work when I use Firefox incognito mode to log in to those email accounts at Zoho).

I've tried numerous times in my virtual Win 10 to add a Zoho account to Thunderbird, checking the parameters closely against the working Zoho account... it finds the account at Zoho, but I was never successful because after I've configured it, it always successfully brings up the first and last accounts in the list, but for the middle accounts it asks for the password and then fails; the order of the accounts does not seem to make any difference. I have fiddled and fiddled with all the account parameters, to no avail

ALSO: I pulled out my old (original) laptop that I replaced with a newer one last spring. Thunderbird is not a startup program on that computer. It has the same symptoms as the other two computers: the first and last email accounts came up fine, the other 3 email accounts (2 at Zoho & 1 at Gmail) ask for a password and reject the (correct) password when it is entered. For the two accounts that work (first and last in the list) It automatically downloaded all the emails it missed since being shut down last spring.

troubleshooting info from Thunderbird Help

Redux:

I have really become disillusioned with this email program, which I have used for many years on my Windows computers.

I have 5 email addresses; 3 of those were rendered inaccessible with the June update to Thunderbird; only the first and last addresses work now (or did, until today's update: 91.3.2, see below). Four email identities are handled by Zoho.com, the 5th is a gmail account. If I shift the order of the email accounts in Thunderbird, again only the first and last accounts are able to log into email, the others are rejected as having incorrect passwords.

The correct passwords are stored in Thunderbird, they are again rejected when re-entering them as requested by Thunderbird.

I have been screwing around with this issue for 5 months and have not been able to resolve it. I also have 2 laptops with Thunderbird installed. Regrettably all 3 computers were set for automatic updates to Thunderbird, and all have had the same issue since June, despite no changes/alterations on my part.

Today I updated to the latest release (91.3.2) on my desktop computer. I don't recognize the initial user screen now. Thunderbird only displays one of my email accounts, dunno what happened to the other 4 which are still in Account Settings. Also, my access to local folders is gone with this new release (or at least not obvious... all accounts and local folders used to appear on the left column).

I have no idea of how to revert to earlier Thunderbird releases, and my research has not revealed that secret.

Thunderbird has gone downhill in a hurry these past 5 months, and I haven't found a way to fix it. I would switch to another email product except that my Thunderbird local folders of saved emails would be gone forever (actually, this latest update may have rendered them inaccessible, so that issue may be moot).

Aaarrgghh, why are these people screwing up a perfectly good product??? At the very least, they could provide a way to save the prior version of the users' Thunderbird (and the users settings/preferences) before destroying it, maybe even make that save/restore a mandatory part of the update.

Just for grins I clicked on "Events and Tasks/Export" a moment ago... nothing happened.

image added

image added

Lets look at your issue.

1. Normal Password. Google are requiring oAth these days. So you still using normal password may be the issue there. You might also want to correct the server names. Google changed them most of a decade ago and oAuth will not work correctly with the ones you are using. https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7126229?hl=en#zippy=%2Cstep-change-smtp-other-settings-in-your-email-client

2.Have you enabled TFA on your Zoho accounts online? Are you using an application password?

3. Do you use a VPN? Disable it and try again. Better still use windows safe mode to get a level playing field without all the third party software that generally causes issues.

3. Can you create a new profile using about profiles and configure any of the non working accounts?

4. Try taking one of the laptops off your local network connection and use your phone or something else like a hot spot to see if that changes anything. Given that Thunderbird attempts connections at a far faster rate than in the past, it may be your gateway or other networking components are having issues.

1) The Google (gmail) account works, possibly so long as it is the first or last email account listed in Thunderbird. But, read below about my attempt at implementing Thunderbird in a virtual Win 10.

2) I have no idea what TFA is. Nor am I sure what you mean by "application password"

3) no, I do not use VPN; I use a Firefox private browsing window in situations where I think I should use a VPN.

... what is "about profiles"?

I have a gmail account and 4 zoho email accounts. I have tried implementing Thunderbird from scratch in a virtual Win 10 machine and configured a gmail account successfully. Then I tried configuring the zoho-hosted email accounts. The 1st, 2nd, and 4th zoho.com accounts configured properly (Thunderbird went to zoho.com to verify the account passwords, successfully); but when I configured the 3rd zoho account, Thunderbird said zoho rejected the login. All 4 zoho accounts use the same password. So, somehow I was able to get to 3 zoho accounts successfully, but not all 4.

If I attempt to use a normal Firefox window to access zoho, it immediately logs into my primary email account (likely due to info left behind in cookies). But I can go to zoho.com using a Firefox private browsing window and access any one of my 4 email accounts there via the zoho user interface, manually entering the account name and the same password I tried to use in Thunderbird; but the zoho email user interface is not nearly as nice as Thunderbird, nor do I have my full email addressee list(s), and I cannot do things like save an email to a local folder. I do not want to use the zoho interface to email.

4) The network connection cannot be the issue. One laptop was taken on an extended vacation trip with me this last summer, and it likely applied the June update to Thunderbird when I used the laptop on my vacation; thereafter it could/would not access the middle 3 email accounts.

I had set up that laptop shortly before my trip, so I thought I might have done something wrong while implementing Thunderbird on the laptop that caused the problem. I had a friend go to my home and bring up my desktop computer and I used TeamViewer to look at its Thunderbird email account settings; nothing was different. I neglected, however, to check if all email accounts on the desktop computer were working, I only looked at the settings because I thought that was the issue.

But, upon my return home I found that my other 2 computers had the same email issues as my trip laptop; both were set for automatic updates to Thunderbird (they did not have the issue before I left on the trip, and both were configured to bring up Thunderbird automatically, so likely they both applied the newer releases of Thunderbird... the desktop when my friend booted it, and my second laptop when I booted it upon my return).

Now Thunderbird on my desktop has upgraded to 91.3.2 and the interface is completely different, apparently you have to use the 4 horizontal lines symbol to do nearly everything. Haven't yet figured out how to get to local folders. Arrgghhh!

2) https://lmgtfy.app/?q=%22tfa%22+computer and https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=google+%22application+password%22

Just to double check the summary, you have four zoho accounts, if you create four accounts in Thunderbird in this order 1,2,3,4 then only 1 and 4 work?

Recap: I have 4 Zoho email accounts plus 1 gmail account. Starting around the end of June (on any of the 3 computers where I have Thunderbird installed) only the first and last of the accounts listed in Thunderbird worked properly; Thunderbird showed emails for the first and last email identities, and requested passwords for the middle 3 email accounts but then rejected the correct passwords. If I changed the order of the accounts, again only the first and last of the listed accounts worked, Thunderbird requested and rejected the correct passwords for the middle 3 accounts.

Unfortunately, 2 days ago I applied the latest release 91.3.2 and Thunderbird came up looking completely different (see my post timestamped 11/25/21, 4:23 PM).

Today (2021 11 26, no new changes made by me that I am aware of) it came up even different than that, showing only 1 of my 5 email accounts, with no emails for that account (all 5 of my email accounts have plenty of unread, and/or deleted emails); see attached screenshot. "account settings" in Thunderbird still lists all 5 of my email accounts.

I have no idea how to straighten this mess out, I am completely lost. Why in the world would applying new releases screw everything up so much?

My Thunderbird has gone from great to strange to completely unusable in the course of installing updates from last June through to today.

See attached screenshot taken today.

Unfortunately I have not been taking regular backups of Thunderbird itself (it had been trouble-free for the many years I've used it), the latest backup I could find is dated nearly a year ago; I run several antivirus programs on my Win 10 system, several times every day.