Thunderbird version 150?

Question

How do I add a Microsoft email account to Thunderbird version 150?

Answer 1

Greetings!

This is Tin, in case Thunderbird won’t connect or keeps hanging, you may try to set it up manually:

• Incoming mail (IMAP)
• Port - 993
• Security - SSL/TLS
• Authentication - OAuth2
• Server: outlook.office365.com
• Outgoing mail (SMTP)
• Port - 465
• Security - SSL/TLS
• Authentication - OAuth2
• Server - smtp-mail.outlook.com

Please make sure to use your full Microsoft email address as the username. When you clicked Done, you will be asked to sign in, please log in there and approve Thunderbird’s access.

Please make sure to set the authentication to OAuth2, not “Normal password,”.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Tin

Answer 2

To add an Outlook.com / Microsoft email account to Thunderbird 150 and have it work with current security requirements, configure it to use Modern Authentication (OAuth2).

1. Open Thunderbird.
2. Add the Microsoft account:
   • If this is the first account, the Mail Account Setup dialog opens automatically.
   • Otherwise, open the menu (≡) > Account Settings > Account Actions > Add Mail Account.
3. In Mail Account Setup:
   • Enter the name to show on outgoing mail.
   • Enter the Outlook.com / Hotmail.com email address.
   • Enter the account password.
   • Continue the setup so Thunderbird discovers the account and servers.
   • Newer Thunderbird versions will automatically configure the account to use Modern Authentication (OAuth) with the correct Microsoft servers.
4. When prompted by the Microsoft sign-in window, sign in with the Microsoft account and approve access. This completes Modern Authentication.

If the account was added earlier and is failing due to Basic authentication, switch it to OAuth2 instead of recreating it:

1. Change server (IMAP/POP) authentication:
   • Menu (≡) > Account Settings.
   • In the left pane, select Server Settings for the Outlook.com / Hotmail.com account.
   • For Authentication method, select OAuth2 (instead of Normal password).
2. Change SMTP authentication:
   • Menu (≡) > Account Settings.
   • In the left pane, select Outgoing Server (SMTP).
   • In the right pane, select the Microsoft account’s SMTP entry and choose Edit….
   • For Authentication method, select OAuth2 (instead of Normal password).
   • Select OK to save.
3. After changing to OAuth2, send/receive mail; Thunderbird will open a Microsoft sign-in window. Sign in and complete any prompts.

If configuration problems persist, remove and re-add the account so Thunderbird can auto-detect the correct Modern Authentication settings:

1. Menu (≡) > Account Settings.
2. Select the Microsoft account in the left pane and remove it.
3. Add it again using Add Mail Account and complete the Microsoft sign-in flow when prompted.

---

References:

• Set up email in Mozilla Thunderbird 8.0
• Modern Authentication Methods now needed to continue syncing Outlook Email in non-Microsoft email apps
• Outlook and other apps are unable to connect to Outlook.com when using Basic authentication