Setting up Mozilla Thunderbird: instructions. Mozilla Thunderbird mail program

The Mozilla Thunderbird mail program makes working with correspondence and newsgroups much easier if it is properly configured. This procedure is simple and does not take much time from the user, but it will help optimize the workflow in the future. From this guide, you will learn how to customize Mozilla Thunderbird "for yourself" as efficiently as possible in order to use the full potential of this tool.

What is a Mozilla Thunderbird profile

Profile - information that is generated during the operation of the mail client, but does not apply to the program's executable files:

  • local mail and copies of Email messages (depends on settings);
  • custom settings (themes, toolbars, etc.).

By default, Mozilla Thunderbird immediately after installation creates a profile named default. It will be used by the program in the future, unless you specifically create a new one using the Profile Manager.

Where is it stored

When creating a profile, a name like xxx.yyy is assigned, where xxx is 8 numbers randomly generated by the program, and yyy is its display name. In different versions of the OS, the location of the profile files is different. To quickly find a profile,

You should click on the button of the main menu of the program and go along the path "Help" - "Information for solving problems." Opposite the item "Profile folder" there is a button "Open folder". By clicking on it, you will be taken to the target directory where you will see the required files.



Profile backup and restore

To create a backup of Mozilla Thunderbird profile files, follow a simple algorithm:

  • close the program;
  • open the directory with the profile files in the manner indicated above;
  • go one level up and copy the profile folder with the name xxx.yyy;
  • save the directory to the target location on disk.

You can store a backup copy both on the computer's hard drive and external media - optical drives, flash drives, file hosting and cloud servers.

To restore a Mozilla Thunderbird profile, simply copy the folder to the target directory with file replacement. If the procedure is carried out after reinstalling the OS and the default profile is given a different name after reinstalling the program, you should not copy the folder, but only the files contained in it.

Mozilla Thunderbird account

During the Mozilla Thunderbird setup process, most of the options are set automatically. Manual settings are required only if the Email provider is not included in the program's automatic configuration databases or non-standard email account settings are used.

Automatic settings

All that is required from the user in this case is the email address, account password and username. All other parameters - security protocols, domain names and ports used, Mozilla Thunderbird will download from the server from the configuration database.

The configuration suggestion is issued by the program during the first launch after its installation. If the user skipped this step for any reason, the Mozilla Thunderbird mail setting is called up at any time through the main menu (“Create” - “Get a new mail record”).


In the dialog box that appears, Mozilla Thunderbird will prompt you to create a new mailbox. You can opt out by clicking the appropriate button.


In the next window, you need to fill in the proposed fields and click the "Continue" button.


All that remains to be done is to select the appropriate protocol (IMAP or POP3) and click the "Finish" button.


The program will redirect the request to the mail server (in this particular case, it shows how to set up Mozilla Thunderbird for Gmail), where you should log in and give it access to your account.




If the correct data is entered and everything is done correctly, the mail client will connect to your account and download all correspondence.

Note! In the case of Gmail, emails and notifications are not sorted into categories (Social and Promotions), as they are when entering the mailbox through a browser. In Mozilla Thunderbird, they are presented as a list, which is not always convenient to use.


Change account protocol

Another aspect to be aware of on how to set up Mozilla Thunderbird mail is to switch your account from POP3 to IMAP. POP3, as a more obsolete protocol, is almost never used anywhere else, and all major email providers have long since switched servers to IMAP.

If your provider does not support IMAP, but you want to take full advantage of this protocol, it is recommended to change the service provider by setting up mail forwarding from the old mailbox to the new one.

It is enough to create a new IMAP account, moving all the necessary correspondence from the old one:

  1. Disable POP3 account. Right-click on the name of the account in the right part of the window and select "Settings" - "Server Settings". Here you need to uncheck the boxes “Check for new messages every XX minutes” and “Check mail at startup”.
  2. Create a new account using the method described above;
  3. Drag the necessary letters from the POP3 account to IMAP to upload them to the server;
  4. Delete old entry - click on the "Actions" button in the options window and select the appropriate item.


Themes and design

In Mozilla Thunderbird, themes are presented as individual themes that must be downloaded from the Internet. You can do this without visiting third-party resources right in the program window. To do this, click on the "Add-ons" item in the main window.


Scroll down the contents of the "Get Add-ons" tab and next to the item "Featured Themes" click on the link "Show All".


Once you find a suitable theme, click on its name and on the next page, click the "Add to Thunderbird" button. Don't forget to also click the "Allow" button in the pop-up window.


The downloaded theme is applied automatically. If you have downloaded several themes, to switch between them you need to go to the "Appearance" tab of the add-on's management menu and click the "Enable" button next to the name of the theme you want to apply.


In the same menu, you can remove the Mozilla Thunderbird themes that you no longer like.

Letter sorting

In Mozilla Thunderbird, you can install one or more filters to automate actions with received or sent mail. Filters work in the order in which they are located in the user's list. To create a new filter, go to the main menu of the program and select "Message Filters". In the window that opens, select the account to which the filter will be applied and click the "Create" button.


The filter settings menu will open. All key filtering parameters are set by selecting the appropriate option from the drop-down list.


Using this tool, for example, you can filter out spam by a certain word in the body of the letter or set up saving correspondence from a specific counterparty in a separate folder.

How to auto-reply in Mozilla Thunderbird

You will need this feature if you are on vacation or away for a few days. You can set it up using a simple algorithm:

  1. Create a new message by pressing Ctrl+N
  2. Indicate in the body of the letter “Absent from ... to ...”. The recipient does not need to be specified.
  3. In the menu of the message creation window, select "File" - "Save as" - "Template" and close the current window.
  4. Create a new filter as described above.
  5. In the filter parameters, move the switch to the "No conditions" position and assign the "Reply by template" action.
  6. Confirm the changes by pressing the "OK" button.



Setting up an autoresponder in this way is easier and faster than setting parameters for each connected mailbox. The main thing is not to forget to turn off or remove the filter when you return from vacation.

In Mozilla Thunderbird, the Mail setting allows you to set up a response according to a template not only for all incoming letters, but also, for example, for specific counterparties or by keywords.

Protection and anti-spam

Setting up filtering of unwanted or fraudulent mail in this program is much easier than filters. To do this, through the main menu, go to the "Settings" item.


The following actions are available in the "Protection" tab:

  • For antispam. Delete or move spam to the appropriate folder, mark as read. An adaptive learning filter is provided that sorts subsequent correspondence based on user actions.
  • For fraudulent emails. Inform if an incoming message is suspicious.
  • For antivirus. Allow antivirus software to quarantine suspicious attachments.
  • For passwords. Remember passwords for all accounts and set a master password.


Sound settings

Sound notification options can be found through the main menu in the settings in the "General" tab. To signal the receipt of mail, you can use both the standard accompaniment from the sound scheme of the operating system, and the audio file that is stored on the computer's hard drive. If the function is not needed, it can be disabled by unchecking the corresponding checkbox.


Customizing template responses

In email correspondence, it is considered good practice to include all contact information at the end of the letter so that the recipient can contact the sender in any convenient way. In order not to enter this data manually every time or not to copy it from a text file, you can create a ready-made template based on which to generate new outgoing messages.

The first step is to make the signature itself. To do this, a new message is created using the Ctrl + N key combination and contact information is typed (or copied). Then, in the message creation window, select "File" - "Save as" - "File", select a storage location on your computer and specify a name.

Then, in the account settings, you need to find the option "Insert a signature from a file", check the box and set the path to the saved file.


Signature text can also be placed in the corresponding field in the account settings. In addition, you can attach a business card - for example, an image, animation or a short video.

Configuring Server Settings

To edit these values, you need to right-click on the account name, select the settings item and in the window that opens, go to the "Server Settings" tab.


Here it is recommended to adjust the mail check interval and actions with deleted messages, but do not change the key parameters of the program - the port used, security and authentication methods, since incorrect settings may cause problems with Mozilla Thunderbird.

Export Mozilla Thunderbird settings and account

Since the program is cross-platform, all work data can be moved between different operating systems - for example, Windows and Linux in any direction. The account also belongs to this data, therefore it is stored in the same place as all other profile files (where exactly, see above). Exporting a Mozilla Thunderbird account is carried out in the same way as transferring settings: just copy these files to the target computer. You can use not only physical drives, but also move them via remote access - for example, using the Team Viewer or Radmin programs.

Program settings for different mail services

The parameters required for correct work with Gmail are shown in the example above. It is convenient that the Mozilla Thunderbird settings for Mail ru or Yandex do not differ: these popular providers have been using the IMAP protocol for a long time, so the configuration is loaded automatically by the application.

In this article, we will talk about installing and configuring the Mozilla Thunderbird program. This program does not require the user to have great knowledge of the computer, and therefore setting up Mozilla Thunderbird is simple, which is a definite plus for every user.

This is a wonderful mail program that works great with different mail services and at the same time it is distributed absolutely free. It also has a Russian language and is intuitively understood, even if you have never worked with similar programs.

On a personal note, I want to say that I, like many users, have not used mail client programs before, but having installed it once, I now can never refuse such efficiency. Of course, it's up to you to decide whether to install it or not, but I can only advise you to try temporarily using such a program for at least a couple of weeks.

Mozilla Thunderbird is a secure email program that does not use a single line of Internet Explorer browser code. The program also has the ability to store mail, both in separate folders for each mailbox, and in a common one for everyone. In a word, if you need a good program for working with mail, then choosing it, you will not regret it.

Installing Mozilla Thunderbird

To install the program, first download it to your computer using the link. Now you can start installing the program. We launch the downloaded file, a welcome window will open, where you click the "Next" button.

After that, you will need to select "Installation Type" and leave a checkmark at the bottom of the program "Use Thunderbird as my default mail program." Click the "Next" button.

Everything is ready for installation, the next step is to click on the "Install" button and the program will be installed on your computer.

When the program is installed on your computer, a window will appear stating that the installation of Mozilla Thunderbird is complete. Leave the checkbox, which is selected by default "Start Mozilla Thunderbird" and click "Finish".

Setting

To set up email, I will use the mail service from gmail.com. To add a mail account to the program, go to "Tools" - "Account Settings". A window will open in which at the bottom left, click on the "Account Actions" button and select "Add mail account ...".

Note: when installing the program for the first time, you most likely will not need to enter these settings, since the first time you start the program you will immediately be asked to enter all the necessary mail data.

Now enter the data: your name, email address and password. If you want the program to remember the password for mail, leave the "Remember password" checkbox. This is done so that you do not enter it every time you open the program. When you have entered all the data, click on the "Continue" button.

It will search for the configuration of the email provider, after that you will be asked to select IMAP (remote folder access) or POP3 (store mail on your computer), select IMAP and click on "Create an account".

That's it, Mozilla Thunderbird for Gmail setup is finished! As you understand, the program is unpretentious in the settings, it does almost all the actions on the machine, which is also a big plus for users. Now you know how to set up Mozilla Thunderbird.

If you have any difficulties with the settings, then on the official website you can see how to set up the Mozilla Thenderbird program for different mail services, link. If you use other mail programs, then please tell me about them in the comments.

Mozilla Thunderbird is a free multi-platform email client that allows users to exchange emails with friends, family and work colleagues. Thanks to its wide functionality, this program can be used both at home and at work, and thanks to special extensions and add-ons, it can be easily customized to your own requirements. Let's see how to use Thunderbird, and what functionality the client offers us after immediately after installation.

Thunderbird is part of the standard set of programs in most modern Linux distributions, so most often it does not need to be installed. If you do not have this program by default, then you need to open the terminal and enter in the line:

sudo apt-get install thunderbird

After that, confirm the installation of the program and wait for the completion of all procedures. Stable versions are always available in the base Linux repositories, so no additional resources are required. You can also install Thunderbird through the application center (Ubuntu, Mint and other distributions oriented to the average user).

Since Thunderbird is available on all modern operating systems, the mail client can be installed on Windows and even Mac OS. To do this, just follow the link https://www.mozilla.org/ru/thunderbird and download the appropriate installer. The official site will automatically detect your OS and select the most optimal version. The subsequent configuration process looks exactly the same as in Linux.

Program interface

Externally, Thunderbird looks like most similar programs. By default, all your mail folders are on the left side of the window, and message previews, links to RSS feeds, newsgroups, and more are on the right. The menu bar contains links to the most popular user actions, such as receive mail, filter, address book, chat, and filter by tags.

All these elements can be edited and changed based on your own preferences. Just right-click and select "Settings" from the context menu.

How to set up Thunderbird

Setting up Thunderbird is one of the most important steps. The program contains many functions that can be difficult to figure out at first, so after the first launch we are greeted by a special wizard. At this stage, you can either register a new mailbox or use an existing one.

After clicking on the appropriate button, the mail setup in Thunderbird will begin. Here you just need to enter your e-mail, the name that will be displayed on the left side of the window and the password.

After entering the data, Thunderbird will check your credentials and, if possible, pull up the necessary settings to connect to the mail service. Here the user will be able to choose which protocol to use - IMAP or POP3. The first one provides remote access to letters on the server, the second one will download all letters to a PC.

When using corporate mail or a little-known service provider, you will need to enter the parameters for sending / receiving messages yourself using the "Manual settings" button. As soon as the data is entered, the program will automatically check the configuration and you can start working right away.

If you use multiple accounts, then click the menu button in the upper right part of the window, go to "Settings - Account Settings" and select "Add account" in the lower left part of the window

After that, set up in the same way as before.

Mail synchronization

Initially, Thunderbird downloads all messages and folders that are on your mail server, but later on the user can choose which folders to synchronize. To do this, click on the account name on the left side of the window and open its settings.

Navigate to the Sync & Storage category, then select the settings that best suit you. In the "More" menu, you can mark specific folders for the account, messages from which will be sent to your computer.

When finished, click the "OK" button, and for the correct display of all subfolders, restart the client. Thunderbird mail setup at this stage can be considered complete.

Search for messages in folders

Searching in Thunderbird can be done using both the quick entry string and the quick filter. To find the desired contact or message, just start typing a word in the appropriate field.

The search system in Mozilla Thunderbird is understandable and accessible even to users who have not previously worked with the program.

Creating mail messages

There are several ways to write a message in Thunderbird:

  • click the "Create" button in the main window of the program, and then enter all the necessary data of the recipient;
  • right-click on the address of the desired contact and select the "Send" item in the context menu.

The message creation window is a simple editor with basic features. The user can attach files to the letter, choose the size, color and font type, as well as dilute the letter with emoticons.

It is worth paying attention to several fields for entering the addressee - here you can select several recipients at once, as well as add blind copies that will be sent to separate mailboxes.

Working with contacts

Using Thunderbird is made easy with an extensive address book. To add a new contact, click on the name of the sender / recipient with the left mouse button and select the appropriate item.

If you have not previously sent or received messages to a particular recipient, you can add it manually through the "Address Book - New" menu. The contact card contains all the necessary information, and if necessary, it can even be supplemented with a photograph.

Extending Thunderbird with Add-ons

Working with Thunderbird is facilitated by the ability to refine the program for your own needs. To do this, the developers have created a whole center of add-ons, where users can find all the most useful extensions, ranging from design themes to almost separate programs.

You can find the update center by clicking on the "Menu - Add-ons" button. The most popular plugins will immediately appear before you, and if necessary, you can open the full version of the site, where everything is categorized.

Mozilla Thunderbird is one of the best email clients today, and it is second only to The Bat! (only due to the fact that there is no possibility to make a normal backup, but otherwise it is even better and more functional). Another advantage of this email program is that it is cross-platform.

In order to start setting up Mozilla Thunderbird, you need to have an already registered mailbox on one of the mail servers (gmail, yandex mail, mail.ru, etc.). We launch the mail client and on the main screen there will be an inscription E-mail. Click on it and in the window that opens, select the button Skip this and use my existing mail, if you do not have it, the program will offer to create it.

So, let's start setting up the mail client to receive email. To do this, enter the data from your account on one of the e-mail servers in the window. In my case, it will be mail.ru. You will also be prompted to create a new one. Enter all the required information and click Continue. In the next settings window, you will be prompted to select an IMAP or POP3 server, your choice will depend on your desires. Those. if you need security, you will choose IMAP, if the security requirements are minimal, then choose POP3. After selecting the server, you can click the Finish button and start using the mail client. The program will enter all server settings automatically. If you know the finer settings of your server, click the Manual settings button. A window will open with more detailed configuration of the incoming and outgoing mail server. To find out the ports or what authentication is on your server, in my case mail.ru, go to the site and in the Help section select the desired server: either IMAP or POP3. Because the Mozilla Thunderbird mail program goes to the Internet and checks the settings, then they will be correct for you. the client will receive all the mail from your account and download it to your PC, if not, it will give an error. If everything went without errors, click the Finish button and see what kind of mail the client received. Would you like to make more detailed settings? To do this, right-click on Local Folders and select Options.

A window with detailed account settings will open. You can change your account name. Here you can change:

That's actually all the settings of the Mozilla Thunderbird mail client. The article made sure that there is a wide variety of mail client settings. Also, you can create not just one mailbox, but several, thereby optimizing the viewing of mail from different mail servers in one program.

Mail clients allow you to save a lot of time on checking mail. However, it is not always clear how to use them. Let's look at the example of Mozilla Thunderbird (hereinafter - MT) all the stages of installation and configuration in order.

First you need to download the installation package from the official page of the project. We choose the assembly that suits you - they differ not only in languages, in addition, each OS has its own version. Suppose the Russian language is what you need and your OS is Windows (absolutely any, the site will automatically select the right package for you). Click and start downloading.

Attention! If you already have this mail client installed, it is highly recommended to uninstall it.

Run the downloaded *.exe file and click next. You can choose to install the MT in the standard configuration (the checkbox opposite "Normal") or in the optional. The second installation method should be chosen if the standard path "c:\program files\mozilla thunderbird\" does not suit you. Click next.

Installation completes almost instantly, now launch the client. Let's move on to the next point.

2. MT setting

At the first start, the window of integration with the system pops up. It offers to use MT as the default mail client, newsgroup client, and . What is convenient - you can immediately configure Windows search so that it can search for messages. Choose whatever suits your needs. To prevent this window from getting to you every time you start it, uncheck the corresponding box. Click "OK" and move on.

The account settings window immediately pops up. If you already have an email, you should not make a new one. Click on "Skip this and use my existing mail".

Enter all required information in this window. The name can be anything, and the password and address are exactly the same as you specified when registering with the mail service (google, rambler, yandex, mail.ru, etc.).

The setup is automatic in most cases. Upon completion, you are prompted to choose between IMAP and POP3. Here, again, at your convenience. If access to the Internet is stable - choose the first one, if not - the second one. Click Done if the automatic setup was successful.

If not, resort to manual tuning. All the necessary data can usually be found on the site providing e-mail services. Click done when finished.

If you have several mailboxes, you can merge them - just click on "Create a new account" and do the above manipulations. Nothing complicated.

If everything went well, the client window will look something like this:

3. Additional settings

You can customize the MT for yourself by clicking on "View settings for this account". They are quite flexible, there is a frequency of checking for new messages, and ways to store them. You can also include a signature, edit the response form.

The anti-spam filter is already enabled by default, most annoying advertising campaigns will bypass you, but sometimes it's worth checking the "Spam" tab - no system can be perfect. From time to time, spam filters fail, "burning" messages that are needed.

3.1. Functionality check

To check if the client is working, click on the "Inbox" tab, if there are any (even if the account is new, services usually send welcome messages). If there are no messages, you can try sending an email to yourself. In the upper left corner there is a "Create" tab, feel free to click it.

In the "Compose message: %name%" window, fill in the fields as follows:

  • To: your address
  • Topic: any, for example - a test.
  • In the field for entering the text of the letter, type whatever comes to mind. Let's say "one two three".
  • Click the "Submit" button in the top left corner.
  • If a notification window pops up about a new message received () - you have completed the mail client settings, if not, try repeating all the points, but this time be more careful.

4. Possible problems. Their decision.

  • Typically, problems arise if the user installs all sorts of themes and add-ons for the email client. It can very much "slow down" or not start at all. Then you should “throw away” the recently downloaded updates and try to find a more stable alternative to them.
  • Another common problem is an error when starting the program. At the same time, reinstalling or rebooting does not help - all efforts seem to be in vain. There is a way out, and quite simple. Find the profiles.ini file in the root of the installed client, right-click on it, run it through some text editor, such as Notepad, then press Ctrl + f, find the line “Default=1” and delete it. Save the file and close. Letters and profile will remain in place, and the program will start again. If it does not help, delete the file, but then you will have to create a new account.
  • It happens that after the update the program stops working correctly - in this case, a simple reinstallation will help.

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