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Switch an existing account to the new servers

All steps as a list My account is IMAP My account is POP3 What is the difference?

  1. 1

    Click the ≡ menu at the top right, then “Account Settings”. Or in the menu bar: “Tools” → “Account Settings”.

    Thunderbird
    • New Account ›
      • Email
      • Calendar
    • Account Settings
    • Settings
    • Help ›
    • Exit
  2. 2

    On the left, find the account you want to change and click “Server Settings” below it.

    Do you have several mail accounts in this program? Each one has to be changed separately.

    Thunderbird
    • Server Settings
    • Copies & Folders
    • Composition & Addressing
    • Outgoing Server (SMTP)

    Server Settings

    Security Settings

  3. 3

    This is what you see now: the server is mailin.euregio.net or relay.mailfilter.be, and the username looks like eu123456. The “Server Type” line tells you whether this account uses IMAP or POP (POP3).

    Do not delete the account. With POP3 your mail exists only on this device and would be lost.

    Thunderbird
    • Server Settings
    • Copies & Folders
    • Composition & Addressing
    • Outgoing Server (SMTP)

    Server Settings

    Security Settings

  4. 4

    Replace the server with imap.mailprotect.be and the port with 993. As username, enter your full email address. Connection security: SSL/TLS.

    Thunderbird
    • Server Settings
    • Copies & Folders
    • Composition & Addressing
    • Outgoing Server (SMTP)

    Server Settings

    Security Settings

  5. 5

    At the very bottom on the left, click “Outgoing Server (SMTP)”. Select the entry with mailout.euregio.net or relay.mailfilter.be and click “Edit…”.

    Thunderbird
    • Server Settings
    • Copies & Folders
    • Composition & Addressing
    • Outgoing Server (SMTP)

    Outgoing Server (SMTP) Settings

    info@example.com - mailout.euregio.net
    Add… Edit… Remove
  6. 6

    Enter the server smtp-auth.mailprotect.be and the port 587. Connection security: STARTTLS. The username is your full email address. Click “OK”.

    Thunderbird

    SMTP Server

    Security and Authentication

    CancelOK
  7. 7

    Does Thunderbird now ask for the password? That can happen because the username changed. Enter the same password as before and tick the box so it is remembered.

    Thunderbird

    Enter your password for info@example.com

    Enter your password for info@example.com on imap.mailprotect.be:

    ••••••••

    Use Password Manager to remember this password.

    CancelOK
  8. ✓

    Done

    Switch another account

    Your settings at a glance

    Incoming server (IMAP)imap.mailprotect.be
    Port 993, SSL/TLS
    Outgoing server (SMTP)smtp-auth.mailprotect.be
    Port 587, STARTTLS
    UsernameYour full email address
    PasswordYour mailbox password

    If it does not work

    • The username must be the full email address, for incoming and for outgoing mail.
    • Password rejected? Check upper and lower case. It is your mailbox password – when switching servers, the same one as before.
    • Sending does not work? Try port 465 with SSL/TLS for the outgoing server.
    • A certificate warning almost always means a typing error in the server name.
    • Could your program not connect before? Try again after changing the servers.
    • Did you let Thunderbird set the account up through “Continue”, and you can receive but not send? Open the account settings, click the outgoing server at the very bottom on the left, then “Edit…”, and set the authentication method to “Normal password”. Then quit Thunderbird and start it again.

Modelled on Thunderbird 128 ESR. Your program may differ slightly.