I-Thunderbird Support Forum

Hi, This is shared computer, so I have set up a primary password to access Thunderbird. But If I click "Anuluj" (Polish word for Cancel) - look picture TB1.png, the program still opens, asking me for a password again, but now in English (look picture TB2.png). After denying password twice, the email list shows up in the backgruond while asking for password again. If I deny the password for the third time (look picture TB3.png) I can freely browse all emails there. Any ideas on how to fix this?

Sorry in advance for the long reading.

For my personal needs I'm currently using the general purpose desktop platform UBUNTU 22.04.04 LTS and GNOME/WAYLAND. Thunderbird is my personal e-mail and productivity client application, now in it's stable version 115.8.1 (64 bits).

For many years I used to sign my personal emails using S/MIME and a high assurance (Qualified) X.509 digital certificate, protected by my personal ID card (i.e. a smartcard), which is provided by my government (Belgium). It used to work flawlessly under Xubuntu, my favorite OS flavor until about a year ago, with earlier versions of Thunderbird.

Since I migrated to UBUNTU's standard flavour (using WAYLAND), it doesn't work any longer.

I experienced the same behaviour with Firefox when Canonical started distributing only the SNAP version of the app for Ubuntu. This problem is well known and documented. I applied the recommended solution, which was - and still is - to install the Mozilla binary version along the snap version. I can since happily continue authenticating and connecting securely to any belgian e-government web site using the Mozilla firefox binary version with my certificates/Id card, while using the snap version for other purposes.

So I tried the same recipe with Thunderbird, ... to no avail. Both versions (Ubuntu-snap and Mozilla-binary version 115.8.1) display the same, consistent behaviour. I must precise here that I can load the BELPIC PKCS#11 subsytem and configure Thunderbird like I always did. After asking for my smartcard's PIN, TB can access the smartcard and lets me associate my certificate with my email account. Everything seems to work as usual until there, except that signing a message does not work. TB systematically displays the same error message "... the application does not find the certificate or the certificate has expired". Of course my certificate is not expired. It looks like the message composer (not Thunderbird itself) cannot access the smartcard. Disabling apparmor leads to the same result with both the snap and Mozilla versions of TB.

Still, TB - both versions - works as expected when using low-assurance digital certificates, e.g. issued by CAcert.org. I also use those for receiving encrypted personal messages when needed. But those are stored locally together with their private keys.

There is no interest in signing messages with a digital certificate without any legal value, especially on a system that is meant to be more secure. I migrated to the standard ubuntu desktop for the added security provided by snap, apparmor, Wayland, ...

Before I file in a bug record, would someone be in a position to provide any useful hint?

Many thanks in advance.

I'd really like the ability to whitelist a domain rather than add an email address to the address book. I work with booking websites that create unique email addresses for each booking and they keep ending up in spam. I'd like to be able to whitelist the domain they're coming from instead of trying to train the spam cannon that they are not an issue.

Hi All,

Not really have no clue what's happening, I think I've by accident put some kind of rule on. It's only with one organization whenever they send me an email I see it coming in but in a blink of an eye it's gone. I've looked everywhere what could be the problem but can't find it. Even when I search on the subject in my inbox, Thunderbird shows me it found emails but doesn't show when any, only the count of the emails.

When I check the mails do stay in my web-based Outlook, via "Owl for Exchange" I get my mails in Thunderbird, no other emails have this problem.

Anyone who could point me in the right direction would be much appreciated.

Many thanks! ~Muriel

I do not understand how to set Thunderbird for Comcast's two step passcode. How do I get the passcode, My bank sends a passcode by landline for checking and email for credit card.

I still need help with passcode. I sent a response about my first question passcode. Your webpage is very complicated and I do not understand it. I can't get to the last thing I did very easily. Currently I have remember my device turned on so no passcode is sent when I log on. I don't know how to turn it off. I have been working about a week on this problem. I think one message said you needed to input passcode when you are asked for password. I also do not understand how to change the password when asked for new password. Also, I have not been giving donations to Thunderbird because they only appear to accept credit cards.

Dear All

I am working as DPO in a small business where they use Thunderbird as Mail client.

I have 2 questions:

1. How do I get a Data Processing Agreement with Mozilla/Thunderbird?

2. How can I make Thunderbird GDPR compliant - Tips and Tricks? I am not a computer tech or specialist, so I need down to earth solutions and we don't have a tech support within the compagny.

Thank you in advance :-)

Why has Thunderbird started to continuosly ask for the passwords for my email accounts? And why do all my attempts to enter my passwords result in failure? I am unable to send or receive any emails at the moment. If anyone is able to help I'd be very grateful.

I am using TB 115.8.1 on Ubuntu. I had set up an openPGP key for my main address but never used it. When I created templates to use for OoO as per https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1126211 I found that the OoO reply messages (even for a different address) were attaching the key. Stupidly with hindsight, I deleted the key. Now I find that many but not all the messages in my saved folder won't open as TB says, correctly, that the key is not accessible. However, I never asked TB to encrypt these messages. I also still can't get an "Autocrype: addr=" out of the replies using some of the OoO templates I created. At least for me the openPGP is pretty fundamentally broken and has lost me content and time. I like TB but this is seriously frustrating. Perhaps this is a useful warning to others.

I always thought that with a password to cancel my mailprogram access was limited to me. Now accidentally I discover that simply and repleatedly click on cancel and it will open up the program for every one to see my emails!!! What kind of use is a password if it is possible to ignore?

not able to send or receive emails. it does not recognize my passwords, nor do I have a primary password that I know of, so I'm not able to get in and change the password

I have been locked ot of TBird (due to a lost Primary Password) for so long that most of the stored passwords are no longer relevant. I need to start over with a new copy of TBird on my PC - can anyone please give me detailed instructions?

I'm aware this has been discussed and fixes suggested, but they don't work for me so...

1. What is the difference between normal startup and troubleshoot mode? I've already turned off any extensions I can find in both Thunderbird and Firefox, but there must be something else affected.

2. What is the connection between Thunderbird and Firefox? When I choose one of the debug options in Thunderbird I get connected to debugging in Firefox, not Thunderbird (bad link?).

Thank you in advance for your response to these questions. I'm hoping to be able to troubleshoot on my own since previous solutions don't appear to apply.

I don't want any passwords in order to access emails. There are no saved passwords or primary passwords in my settings, but I am still asked to enter one to access emails. How do I completely rid myself of ALL passwords?

I can't get thunderbird to work. Even tho I am putting in the right password, it keeps telling me that it is not right and that I have "imap" problems. I'm not sure what this means nor what to do about it? Please help. Dave [removed phone# from support forum]

In Account Settings>Copies & Folders>Message Archives, I changed the first setting from "Other" to "Archives" folder. The reason for the change is that under "Other" when I send an email, not only is a copy saved in my sent folder but a bold copy is in my trash.

My problem is when I next bootup the computer, the setting reverts to "Other".

How can I make the setting change stick. Changes made in other areas do hold.

I had a crash in Kubuntu 22.04 with Thunderbird (up to date 115, German language). I set a Master password for Thunderbird. I installed then Kubuntu and Thunderbird again and Thunderbird without Master Password. I have a backup of the private email key (*-secret.asc exported from Thunderbird!), but it is not possible to import the private key. All I get is „Failure File can not be imported“. What is the problem and how to solve it? I did new installations (without master password) before and it worked. It’s a really big big problem for the email system if the (Backup) keys can not be imported after crashes or new installation of the system.

Hi There,

              I have been using this email under enquiries@chrystalsshortbread for many years and have not had any issues. When I go into my email all the emails are there however it is not downloading any new ones or letting me send any. A warning has come up saying that my password has failed. I have had the same password for years with out an issue. I'm prompted to enter the password but it is rejected and then it prompts me to enter a new one but it doesn't Like that either. 

Please help!

                            Kind Regards Rory Mackinlay.