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How do I create multiple accounts in Mozilla Thunderbird?

I realize that I'm working with one of the less popular email clients, but I really like Mozilla's Thunderbird application, not the least of which is because it's free! My question, though: how do I set it up so I can access more than one email account in the program? Thanks.

Dave's Answer:

I asked Thunderbird fan Jeff Lawley for his thoughts on this, and here's his splendid tutorial on the subject:

I use Thunderbird for this when setting up email for friends who have more than one POP account, especially if they have no need for the calendar function in Microsoft Outlook. There have been many times where I have come across individuals who are frustrated because they cannot set up more than one email account in Outlook Express, and they don't want to bother with Outlook, so it's nice to have an alternative!

Thunderbird has proven easier for many of my friends who have multiple email accounts to use, with an added bonus of being free, which everyone seems to appreciate.

Here's how I suggest you create multiple accounts:

1. Download Thunderbird. The current version as of this writing is 1.0.7.

2. Install Thunderbird. It will import many settings and addresses from other programs, including Outlook Express and Eudora.

3. If you imported from Outlook express, than you already have one email account set up. Go to Tools --> Account Settings. There will be one account set up already, if you imported settings. If not, you will need to set up a new account (see number 4).

4. Set up your second (or first) account. Select "Add Account" near the bottom. Select "email account," then NEXT. Enter your name and your email address, then NEXT. Select the type of server (usually POP for commercial accounts), and type in the name of the incoming server. This will be available on support pages for nearly all ISPs.

IMPORTANT!!!! Be sure that "use Global Inbox" is UNCHECKED. Otherwise, all incoming email from all email accounts will go into the same Inbox. Of course, if this is okay with you, then certainly leave it checked.

Once you have determined your Inbox preference, hit NEXT. Input the user name for the email account, then NEXT. Create the name that you want (this does not matter, and should be recognizable to you), then NEXT. If everything is right, hit FINISH.

5. If there was an email account imported from another program, and you want to have separate inboxes, then go to Tools --> Account Settings, hit the plus sign next to the email account to open the menu, select Server Settings, then advanced. Select the POP tab, and select "Inbox for this server's account." If you have separate SMTP servers for each account, you can also create and select them for each account on this screen. Hit OK, then OK again.

Mozilla Thunderbird: Advanced Account Settings

6. Note that the default SMTP server will be the one on the first email account. You will have to input one during account setup if no email settings were imported from another program.

7. When you are creating a new email message, there will be a pulldown menu on the "From" line. You can select which email address will be your reply-to address here. Generally, Thunderbird will default to whichever address you are using (which Inbox you are in) at that particular time. So pay attention!

That's all there is to it!

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Comments

I have set up multiple email accounts in Outlook Express for several friends with no problem at all...

Mike

Posted by: Mike Goggin at December 25, 2005 5:28 PM

Glad to hear that, Mike. Perhaps you'd like to share the steps you've taken for it to work without any hassles? I am confident other people would appreciate the knowledge!

Posted by: Dave Taylor at December 25, 2005 10:56 PM

It's as straight forward as any other email client I have used.

Tools, Accounts, New, Mail, and enter the details for an account. Repeat for each account.

Once done, the Send/Recv button will allow "Send and Receive All" or choosing a particular account.

Likewise, the Compose window then includes a drop-down list for selecting the From address.

The steps to set them up are quite simple. I can't help but wonder if something else is accounting for our different understanding of what Outlook Express will or won't do. Could this ability have been added with a particular release (I'm using 6.0)?

Posted by: Mike Goggin at December 26, 2005 5:31 PM

I have done everything in detail with regards to what you say about setting up multiple accounts. Why does an error message always pop up when i try to download mail from another account? this is what the error message says all the time: AN ERROR OCCURRED WITH THE POP3 MAIL SERVER. MAIL SERVER POP.GOOGLEMAIL.COM RESPONDED:!!

Posted by: richard at August 5, 2006 5:26 AM

I have set up one secondary email account, but when i come to check if any email has arrived it asks me for a password which is fair enough but during the time i was setting up this account it never asked me to set a password up HELP.

Posted by: Matthew Surgey at October 16, 2007 11:54 AM

Ditto to Matthew Surgey's comment of Oct. 16 - and Double-HELP.

Posted by: Pete at October 25, 2007 5:18 AM

You can have multiple accounts in OE. Simply 'Add New Identity' and fill in the details. OE behaviour will allow you to set a password on each account (if you wish) and switch between them - they will be completely independant with their own inboxes etc, and all on the same Windows profile.

I switched to TB because Windows 7 ditches e-mail and you can't seem to import old OE mail into the new Windows Mail (Windows Live), or I haven't found it anyway!

Posted by: anti-addick at June 28, 2009 2:27 AM

I want about multi account setting

Posted by: Widewebway at September 18, 2009 12:18 AM

The steps that you describe if you have a unique account for each email. In order to save money on hosting, I do not.

I have about 8 email accounts all of which I need to service daily.

In outlook it allowed me to set up 8 accounts, each pointing to the same pop3 server with the same logon and password. This then allowed me to select which account to use when sending.

Thunderbird stops me from doing this, stating that an account with the User Name and POP3 server already exists.

Suggestions ???

Posted by: Craig Golby at October 22, 2009 9:06 AM

I have set up multiple accounts in thunderbird. Everything is working just fine and i m receiving no errors.

Whats happening is, beside my first account ,the one on the top, which is probably the default one also, is sending and receiving the emails properly.

there are 2 others that i made with the different domain. Apparently there is no problem but none of these accounts is sending the emails promptly. the emails i send in the afternoon is reaching the recipients in the evening/night. i have logged in to the server also the mails never reached there to be downloaded on the other email(a test to see whether email is being received by each other).

Thunderbird is not reporting any error, i wonder why its taking so long

Kindly, suggest a remedy for this issue.

Regards

Posted by: Asad Riaz at November 3, 2009 9:15 AM

Hi....

I have a question.

I have just installed Thunderbird 2 and imported my emails from Outlook.

Question - why does it say "local folders" (under all folders) and then after the inbox, unsent etc there is Outlook Mail folder which has inbox, outbox etc.

How do I make it so I just have one inbox, one deleted iteams etc.

Thanks.

Posted by: mark at November 7, 2009 10:11 AM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!