Set up cPanel email in Mozilla Thunderbird

Thunderbird is a free email app for Windows, macOS and Linux, and a great match for cPanel email: it supports IMAP fully, handles several accounts and even encryption. It can usually detect settings automatically, but manual setup with the server hostname is the most reliable.

Before you start

• Thunderbird installed from the official Thunderbird site.
• Your full email address and password, and the server hostname from cPanel → Email → Email Accounts → Connect Devices. See email server settings.

Add the account

1. Open Thunderbird. On first start the account setup appears; otherwise go to ≡ menu → Account Settings → Account Actions → Add Mail Account.
2. Enter Your full name, Email address and Password. Tick Remember password.
3. Click Configure manually (do not rely on the guessed settings).
4. Enter:

   	Incoming	Outgoing
   Protocol	IMAP	SMTP
   Hostname	server hostname	server hostname
   Port	993	465
   Connection security	SSL/TLS	SSL/TLS
   Authentication	Normal password	Normal password
   Username	full email address	full email address

5. Click Re-test, then Done.

Recommended settings

• Folders: right-click the account → Subscribe and tick all folders so they match webmail.
• Copies & Folders (Account Settings): set Place a copy in to the server's Sent folder, and drafts and archives to server folders.
• Server Settings → When I delete a message: choose Move it to this folder: Trash. Set Clean up ("Expunge") Inbox on Exit and Empty Trash on Exit if you want to save quota.
• Synchronization & Storage: keep messages for this account on this computer for offline use; limit to recent mail on small disks.

Use Thunderbird for calendars and contacts

Thunderbird can also sync your cPanel calendar and address book over CalDAV and CardDAV; see calendars and contacts. It also has built-in OpenPGP encryption; see encrypt email with GPG.

Troubleshooting

• "Add Security Exception" certificate warning: you used mail.yourdomain.com and the certificate does not cover it. Change both hostnames to the server hostname instead of adding an exception.
• Login to server failed: password or username wrong; use the full address. Remove saved passwords under Settings → Privacy & Security → Saved Passwords and try again.
• Sending fails with "Sending of the message failed": check the SMTP server in Account Settings → Outgoing Server (SMTP) uses SSL/TLS on 465 with your login.
• Folders missing: subscribe to them as above.

Next steps

• Use Thunderbird to migrate mail
• Set up Outlook