How to Configure Thunderbird to Work with StrataMail

(Updated for Thunderbird 115+ / 128+ with Account Hub changes)

This guide assumes you are using a recent version of Thunderbird.
If this is your first time opening the application, the account setup wizard should appear automatically.
If not, follow the instructions below to open the setup window.

Step 1: Disable “Account Hub” (Important)

The latest Thunderbird versions enable a new feature called Account Hub by default.
This feature often hides the Manual Config option and causes setup errors such as “Incoming server exists.”
Disable it before adding your StrataMail account.

1. Open Thunderbird.

2. Go to Tools ? Settings (press Alt if you don’t see the menu bar).

3. Under the General tab, scroll down to Account Creation.

4. Uncheck:

   ? “Enable Account Hub for new accounts”

5. Close and restart Thunderbird.

This restores the classic account setup wizard.

Step 2: Start the Account Setup

1. Open Thunderbird.

2. If this is your first time using it, the Set Up Your Existing Email Address screen will appear automatically.

3. If not, open the menu (? three horizontal lines ? New ? Existing Mail Account…).

Step 3: Enter Your Basic Information

A new window will appear. Enter the following:

Click Continue.
Thunderbird will attempt to detect settings automatically.
Since StrataMail uses custom IMAP/SMTP servers, this detection may fail — that’s expected.

Step 4: Configure Manually

When Thunderbird reports “Thunderbird failed to find the settings…”, click Manual config.

Enter the following details:

Incoming Mail (Server)

Outgoing Mail (SMTP)

Step 5: Finalize and Connect

1. Click Re-test to verify the settings.

2. If the test succeeds, click Done to complete setup.

3. Thunderbird will now begin downloading and syncing your StrataMail folders.

Optional – Disable Account Hub Permanently

To make sure Account Hub never turns back on (for future profiles or updates):

1. Go to Settings ? General ? Config Editor…

2. Search for:

   mail.accountHub.enabled
   

3. Set it to false and restart Thunderbird.

? Summary of Server Settings

Your StrataMail account is now configured and ready to use in Thunderbird.
If you experience connection issues or see “Incoming server exists,” remove any previous failed accounts from Account Settings ? Account Actions ? Remove Account, then retry the setup using the steps above.