How to Set up Gmail Access in Thunderbird

How to Set up Gmail Access in Thunderbird

by | Apr 23, 2025 | Email Tips and Resources, Gmail Tips and Resources

Looking to connect Gmail to Thunderbird on Linux? Like the disconnected, fast, safe and asynchronous experience of POP email? Find out here how to add a Gmail account to Thunderbird using automatic setup or manual IMAP, POP and SMTP settings.

First, a Lighthouse Never Seen from the Sea

A lighthouse never seen from the sea’s waters is also the only lighthouse in Saskatchewan. The Canadian province is filled, of course, with boreal forests and prairie grass — and everywhere some 250 miles (400 km) from the sea at least.

Erected on a hill near Cochin, the fully functional lighthouse, offers a majestic view of the surrounding landmasses (and Jackfish Lake).

Now, if one can see a lighthouse from Saskatchewan prairie, one surely should be able to see emails from Thunderbird; one can, even without climbing hilltops:

How to Set up Gmail Access in Thunderbird

All Automatic Setup

Time needed: 3 minutes

To set up access to a Gmail account in Thunderbird using IMAP (which gives you access to messages and folders, all synchronizing automatically with Gmail on the web):

  1. Enable IMAP access for the Gmail account.

  2. Click the hamburger menu button (How to Set up Thunderbird Gmail Access - Thunderbird hamburger menu button) in Thunderbird.

  3. Select New Account | Existing Email from the menu that has appeared.

  4. Enter the name you want to appear in the From: line of the emails you send using the Gmail account under Your full name.

  5. Type the Gmail email address under Email address.

  6. You can leave the Password field blank.

    App password: Using a Gmail app password created for Thunderbird will also work.

  7. Click Continue.

    Add a Gmail account to Thunderbird using automatic setup

  8. Select IMAP under Available configurations.

    Here’s why: Gmail typically works well using IMAP, which lets you access folders and messages on the server as if through the Gmail web interface.
    POP: You can also choose POP3, of course, and let Thunderbird download messages from Gmail to the local machine as copies.
    Manual: If automatic settings detection does not work for Gmail, select Configure manually to input the SMTP and IMAP settings by hand.

  9. Click Done.

    Choose POP3 or IMAP for automatic Gmail configuration in Thunderbird

  10. Use the browser window that has appeared to log in to the Gmail account.

  11. Allow access to Gmail for Mozilla Thunderbird Email.

    Allow Thunderbird to access your Gmail account

  12. Click Finish in Thunderbird.

Manual IMAP Setup for Gmail in Thunderbird

To add a Gmail account to Thunderbird using manual setup for IMAP access (so it will synchronize moving, deleting, receiving and sending mail with Gmail on the web):

  1. Create a new Gmail app password for Thunderbird.
  2. Select New Account | Existing Email from the hamburger menu in Thunderbird.
  3. Enter your name under Your full name and your Gmail email address under Email address.
  4. Type the app password under Password.
  5. Click Configure manually.
  6. For INCOMING SERVER:
    • Select IMAP for Protocol:.
    • Type imap.gmail.com under Hostname.
    • Enter 993 for the Port:.
    • Choose SSL/TLS for Connection security:.
    • Select Normal password under Authentication method:.
  7. For OUTGOING SERVER:
    • Enter smtp.gmail.com under Hostname.
    • Type 465 for Port:.
    • Choose SSL/TLS for Connection security:.
    • Select Normal password for Authentication method:.
  8. Click Done.
    Settings for manual Gmail IMAP configuration
  9. Now click Finish.

Manual POP Setup for Gmail in Thunderbird

To set up Gmail as a POP email account in Thunderbird (so it downloads mail from Gmail and sends mail through it, but all email management happens on the local machine):

  1. Set up a Gmail app password.
  2. Enable POP access for the Gmail account.
  3. Go to the manual server settings in Thunderbird (see above).
  4. For INCOMING SERVER:
    • Select POP3 for Protocol:.
    • Enter pop.gmail.com under Hostname.
    • Use 995 for the Port:.
    • Select SSL/TLS for Connection security:.
    • Choose Normal password for Authentication method:.
  5. Set up OUTGOING SERVER as above (for manual IMAP access).
  6. Click Done.
  7. Now click Finish.

How to Set up Gmail Access in Thunderbird: FAQ

Thunderbird refuses to download newly arrived emails via POP; what can I do?

If Thunderbird sees newly incoming Gmail emails as already fetched and does not download them, try “recent” mode:

  1. Select Account Settings from the Thunderbird hamburger menu.
  2. Go to Server Settings for the Gmail POP account in question.
  3. Change the User Name: to include recent: in front of the Gmail address.
    Example: For the email address example@gmail.com, make the user name recent:example@gmail.com.
    Here’s why: This will serve all emails from the last 30 days as new to Thunderbird once for download.

(Tested with Thunderbird 115–128; first published June 2024, last updated April 2025)

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