Microsoft 365 (Thunderbird) - Configure Thunderbird

Note: These instructions assume you are running the latest version of Thunderbird.

• Configure Thunderbird
• Other Steps to Complete
• Configure Access to the Campus Directory (Whitepages)

Configure Thunderbird for Microsoft 365

1. Launch Thunderbird. If you have no other accounts configured, you will be prompted to configure a new account. Otherwise, click on Display the Thunderbird Menu button. Select Options | Account Settings | Account Actions | Add Mail Account.
2. On the Mail Account Setup window, enter the following for each field:
   • Your name: Your name as you'd like it to appear
   • Email Address: -
     • NetID Account: Enter netid@wisc.edu
     • Service Account: Enter name_domain@wisc.edu\username_domain
       
       For multi-level domains, name@domain1.domain2.wisc.edu, use the following format: name_domain1.domain2@wisc.edu.

     Note: if you don't know whether you are attempting to configuring a NetID account or a Service account, please contact your domain administrator or the DoIT HelpDesk.

   • Password: Enter the password for your account
   
3. Click Continue
4. Note: if asked for domain, enter in NetID
5. Thunderbird should automatically discover and fill in the server settings necessary for your account seen below:
   
6. Click Done to confirm the creation of your account. This should take you to "Account Settings" screen. If you see your newly configured account in the left-hand column you can simply press the X in the top right of the window.
7. Setup is complete. Email data will take some time to sync. BE PATIENT.

Important: Please complete these steps before using your Thunderbird client.

• Reconfigure folder mapping:

  Clients configured using Microsoft Exchange protocol use different folders for some of the primary mail folders. For consistency, we highly recommend that you configure Thunderbird to use these same folders. This will make it less confusing if you also use the web client for Microsoft 365 or a different desktop client that is using the Exchange protocol.

  1. Right-click on your Microsoft 365 account and select "Subscribe..." from the drop-down menu.

     

  2. Place a check-mark within the box next to each of these folders: "Drafts | Deleted Items | Sent Items."
  3. Click Subscribe button.

     

  4. Click OK button.
  5. Right-click on your Microsoft 365 account and select "Settings..." from the drop-down menu.

     

  6. Under your Microsoft 365 account, select "Server Settings."
  7. Within 'Server Settings | When I delete a message' section, select "Move it to this folder:" and use the text box next to this setting to select the "Deleted Items" folder.

     

  8. Under your Microsoft 365 account, select "Copies & Folders."
  9. Within 'When sending messages, automatically | Place a copy in:' section, select "Other" and use the text box next to this setting to select the "Sent Items" folder within your Microsoft 365 account.

     

  10. Make sure "Drafts" folder is selected within your Microsoft 365 account under 'Drafts and Templates'.

      

  11. Click the OK button.
  12. Restart Thunderbird

• Disable the adaptive junk mail controls:

  Microsoft 365 server side junk/spam filtering is already enabled for all Microsoft 365 accounts.

  1. Click on the email address you just configured in the left-hand pane.
  2. Click on View settings for this account.

  

  1. Click Junk Settings from the left-hand option pane.

  

  1. Uncheck the box for Enable adaptive junk mail controls for this account.

  

  1. Click the OK button.

Configure Access to the Campus Directory (Whitepages)

Remember: Thunderbird cannot access the Microsoft 365 Global Address List (GAL). Therefore, you may still need access to the Campus Directory (Whitepages) to find the person you are searching for.

Use these instructions to configure the Campus Directory (Whitepages) within this client.

See Also:

• Microsoft 365 - Support for non-Microsoft clients
• Microsoft 365 - Which clients/protocols will be supported?
• Microsoft 365 - Setup/configure Outlook on mobile device or desktop computer