Set up email in Thunderbird

Thunderbird is a free mail app from Mozilla for Windows, Mac and Linux. It is a good choice if you want a desktop app that keeps a local copy of your mail, and it is also the easiest tool for copying mail between providers (see Move your email to FiniteHost). This guide adds priya@acme.in.

Before you start#

• The mailbox exists and you have its password (Email accounts).
• Thunderbird is installed from thunderbird.net.
• Keep these values ready:

Add the account#

1. Open Thunderbird. On first start the account setup opens by itself. Otherwise open the menu (☰) → New → Existing Mail Account (or Account Settings → Account Actions → Add Mail Account).
2. Enter Your full name (e.g. "Priya Sharma"), Email address priya@acme.in and Password. Tick Remember password if this is your own computer.
3. Click Configure manually. (If you click Continue, Thunderbird tries to guess the settings. Its guess may be wrong; check every value against the table below before you accept it.)
4. Fill in the Incoming server row: Protocol IMAP, Hostname mail.finitehost.com, Port 993, Connection security SSL/TLS, Authentication method Normal password, Username priya@acme.in.
5. Fill in the Outgoing server row: Hostname mail.finitehost.com, Port 587, Connection security STARTTLS, Authentication method Normal password, Username priya@acme.in.
6. Click Re-test. Thunderbird reports that the settings were found on the server.
7. Click Done. Thunderbird downloads your folder list and the newest messages.

Recommended settings#

Open Account Settings (☰ → Account Settings) and select the account:

• Copies & Folders: "Place a copy in" → Other → Sent on priya@acme.in. Drafts → Drafts on priya@acme.in. This keeps sent mail and drafts visible in webmail and on your phone.
• Server Settings → When I delete a message: "Move it to this folder" → Trash.
• Server Settings → Check for new messages every 5 minutes is a sensible default. IMAP IDLE (push) is on by default, so new mail usually shows within seconds while Thunderbird is open.
• Junk Settings: FiniteHost already filters spam on the server. If you also want Thunderbird's own filter, set it to move junk to Junk on priya@acme.in.

Check that it works#

1. Click Write, send a test message to another address you own.
2. Check webmail's Sent folder for the message.
3. Reply from the other address and watch it arrive in Thunderbird.

Troubleshooting#

What's next#

• Move your email to FiniteHost
• Keep your mail out of spam
• Mail app settings