How to Sync Gmail in Thunderbird With Ease

Jack

By Jack

Update on

Thunderbird Gmail

Before learning about the methods of syncing Gmail in Thunderbird, you must have basic knowledge about this software.

In this article, we have discussed in detail the Thunderbird and its use. Read on and learn about the Thunderbird application and the methods to sync Gmail in Thunderbird. 

Thunderbird Gmail | What is Thunderbird?

Thunderbird

Thunderbird is an open-source, cross-platform software for managing news feeds, emails, newsgroups, and chats for free. The best part about this software is that you can synchronize the messages of your Google Gmail account with the local Thunderbird.

Thunderbird is available for Mac, Linux, and Windows. Remember to use the latest version of Thunderbird because older versions of Thunderbird Gmail do not work properly. 

Rather than a web or browser-based application, it is more a local email application that is powerful yet quick and easy to use.

It incorporates many features like a mail account setup wizard, one-click address box, attachment reminder, and so on. These features make your work easy and efficient.


Origin of Thunderbird

Thunderbird is not developed by a single company but by a large and dedicated volunteer. It is basically developed, translated, tested, and supported by an independent community.

A Thunderbird Community elects the Thunderbird Council, which looks after the finances and paycheck of the staff. On the other hand, Thunderbird Community donates the fund to the Thunderbird Council.

PS: let’s figure out how to send emails to Undisclosed Recipients in Gmail.


Why should you use Thunderbird?

The best part about this application is it is free of cost. Furthermore, its amazing features are worth checking out. Some of the cool features of Thunderbird Gmail are as follows.

  • Mail Account Setup Wizard – Before the setup, you must know about SSL/TLS, IMAP, and SMPT settings. To set up Gmail in Thunderbird, you need to provide your Gmail account credentials like your real name, email address, and password. 
  • One-click Address Book – This feature allows you to add your contact to the address book. Plus, you can add birthdays, photos, and other such information of your contact in your address book.
  • Attachment Reminder – Attachment Reminder helps you to remind the files attachments before sending them. The reminder looks for the file attachments or word attachments in the message box and reminds you about them in case you forget. 
  • Tabbed Email – Tabbed email works like Firefox’s tabbed browsing. It loads all the emails in a single tab and makes it easy for you to navigate them. It is quite hectic to find old emails in a bunch of thousand of emails which is why this feature plays an important role. And it allows you to open multiple emails for easy reference.

After you quit Thunderbird, the same tabs will be restored when you again use this software. It also provides a Tab menu feature on the Tab toolbar in order to switch between Tabs.

  • Search Tool – The search tool helps you find emails that you search for. Its filter and timeline feature keeps the data of your emails and helps you find the exact email. In the search tab, your search results are displayed and enable you to easily switch between the different emails.
  • Quick filter toolbar – This tool quickly filters your messages and shows the result on the search bar. The algorithm is set in a way to makes your search experience smooth and convenient for you. 

So, these are a few features that we have covered in this section. Visit the official site of Thunderbird to know more about its features.


What is your Thunderbird email address?

Thunderbird is software; it does not give email addresses and nor does the service transfer emails. You can use this application by sign-in in with your existing email account to send, receive, restore, and manage email messages.

In case you do not have an email address, then create one with Google and then sign in and sync Gmail in Thunderbird. 

Following are some common terms that email addresses and service providers incorporate.

● Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

While creating and signing up for an email, the service providers give you one or more than one email accounts.

● Web-based

Several websites provide an email account. These websites include Google, Hotmail, Yahoo, Windows Live, and many more. 

● Corporate

Incorporate sector employers provide email accounts to their employees.

Besides, let’s learn more about how to perform Gmail account recovery effortlessly.


Method 1: Configure Gmail Account

The first step toward configuring your Gmail account is enabling IMAP on your Gmail. Gmail, by default, enables IMAP on a new account.

Therefore, follow the first method only if you have an older Gmail account; otherwise, head to the second method. Following are the steps to enable IMAP to your email account. 

1: On your PC, go to the Gmail site.

2: Navigate the ‘gear‘ icon at the window’s upper-right corner. 

Configure Gmail Account

3: Choose ‘See all settings.’

Gmail Settings

4: Now, choose the ‘Forwarding and IMAP/POP tab.’

Forwarding and IMAP/POP tab

5: Go to the ‘IMAP access‘ section and choose the ‘Enable IMAP‘ option.

Enable IMAP in Gmail Settings

6: Click on ‘Save Changes.’

Now IMAP is enabled on your Gmail Account; you head to another method.  


Method 2: Build an IMAP Account for the Email Client

After enabling IMAP on your Gmail account, you can set up a new IMAP account in your email account as per your choice. If you don’t know the steps, then the following guide will help you to do so.

Incoming Mail (IMAP) Server

  • IMAP Server: imap.gmail.com
  • Port: 993
  • Require SSL: Yes
  • Username: The address of your Gmail email
  • Password: Password of your Gmail email

Outgoing Mail (SMPT) Server

  • SMTP Server: smtp.gmail.com
  • Port for SSL: 465
  • Port for TLS/STARTTLS: 587
  • Require SSL: Yes
  • Requires TLS: Yes (if available)
  • Require authentication: Yes
  • Username: The address of your Gmail email 
  • Password: The password of your Gmail email

Method 3: Access your Gmail Account with Thunderbird

Follow the below steps to access IMAP on your Gmail in Thunderbird.

1: Make sure that IMAP is enabled on your Gmail account. If not, then go to the first method in order to do it.

2: After enabling IMAP, open Thunderbird on your computer system.

3: Go to the Files and then click on the ‘New‘ option. Further click on ‘Existing Mail Account.’

Access your Gmail Account with Thunderbird

4: In the new ‘Set UP an Existing Email Address‘ window, enter all the information of your Gmail account (email address, name, and password). The Thunderbird application will automatically configure your Gmail connection.

Set UP an Existing Gmail Address on Thunderbird

5: Now, choose ‘Continue,’ and the program will start searching for the correct server details. Click on the ‘Done’ button, and a new window will appear, asking you to enter your Gmail account.

6: Enter your Google credentials and sign in to your Gmail account.

7: Thunderbird application will download all your Gmail messages, and now you can access the Gmail messages through Thunderbird.


Method 4: Organize your Gmail folder within Thunderbird

Creating an IMAP account in Gmail converts the labels into Thunderbird folders. Messaging through Thunderbird Gmail creates a folder with the same storage message and a name.

By default, it displays all the folders that you have set up. If you want to choose a specific Gmail account that shows the folder messages, you need to make changes in the configuration.

Follow the below-given steps and change the settings.

1: Open Thunderbird, navigate to the ‘File‘ menu, and choose Subscribe.

2: Click on the check boxes that you want to see in Thunderbird. 

Organize your Gmail folder within Thunderbird

3: Click on the ‘OK‘ button.

Sync Gmail in Thunderbird

4: Now, unchecked folders will not display on Thunderbird. 


Method 5: Sync your Gmail contacts in Thunderbird

You can use tools like gContactSync or Google Contacts to sync your contacts in your Gmail in Thunderbird.      


Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues while syncing Gmail with Thunderbird, here are some common troubleshooting steps you can try:

  1. Make sure you have a stable internet connection.
  2. Double-check your Gmail account settings in Thunderbird, including the email address, password, and server settings.
  3. Verify that IMAP is enabled in your Gmail account settings.
  4. Update Thunderbird to the latest version.
  5. Disable any antivirus or firewall software temporarily and see if it resolves the issue.

FAQs

Q1: Can I sync multiple Gmail accounts with Thunderbird? Yes, Thunderbird supports syncing multiple Gmail accounts. Simply follow the steps mentioned earlier for each Gmail account you want to sync.

Q2: Will syncing Gmail in Thunderbird affect my emails in the web interface? No, syncing Gmail in Thunderbird does not affect your emails in the web interface. Changes made in Thunderbird will be reflected in the web interface and vice versa.

Q3: Can I sync my Gmail labels in Thunderbird? Yes, Thunderbird allows you to sync your Gmail labels. All your labels will be visible in Thunderbird, and you can organize your emails accordingly.

Q4: Is Thunderbird compatible with Windows and macOS? Yes, Thunderbird is compatible with both Windows and macOS. You can download and install Thunderbird on your preferred operating system.

Q5: Is Thunderbird a free email client? Yes, Thunderbird is a free and open-source email client developed by Mozilla. It offers a range of features for managing your email accounts.

Conclusion

We have covered every detail regarding Thunderbird Gmail. Also, we have discussed many questions regarding Thunderbird software.

Therefore, read this full article to learn in detail about the Thunderbird application and the methods to sync your Gmail in Thunderbird. 

Jack
Jack

Ten years of experience in information and computer technology. Passionate about electronic devices, smartphones, computers, and modern technology.

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