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How do I Sync all my Thunderbird accounts & Unthread all folders

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  • 0 have this problem
  • Last reply by PhilG

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I have set up Syncing on Firefox and it was simple but I can't figure out how to do it in Thunderbird. I am recovering from a PC Reset and want to ensure I do not lose anything if I have to have my Iaptop sent away to be repaired.

I spent a long time looking for an email today. I sent it earlier in the day so was looking at the latest messages with todays date. I eventually found it after srearching for the Subject. The message was threaded but the message showing was from a few days ago. That was when I noticed the little arrow. That was when all was revealed. The version of TBird I used until I Reset PC last week did not have settings like that.

Please hep me.

I didn't know which Topic to choose so if its wrong please change it.

I have set up Syncing on Firefox and it was simple but I can't figure out how to do it in Thunderbird. I am recovering from a PC Reset and want to ensure I do not lose anything if I have to have my Iaptop sent away to be repaired. I spent a long time looking for an email today. I sent it earlier in the day so was looking at the latest messages with todays date. I eventually found it after srearching for the Subject. The message was threaded but the message showing was from a few days ago. That was when I noticed the little arrow. That was when all was revealed. The version of TBird I used until I Reset PC last week did not have settings like that. Please hep me. I didn't know which Topic to choose so if its wrong please change it.

All Replies (6)

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There is no Thundebird sync. That is a feature than is still in development. There is a profile export option that will allow you to backup your profile.

See https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/message-threading-thunderbird# for instructions pertaining to threading.

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To get rid of Threading press Alt-v and click "Sort by" on the drop-down menu that appears. Towards the bottom of that are "Threaded" and "Unthreaded." Click "Unthreaded."

That will sort out the folder you are currently displaying but only that one.

To make it work in every folder right-click somewhere on the line with the column headings and choose "Apply current view to folder and its children" at the bottom, then pick one of your accounts, then the top of the next list that comes up. See picture as hopefully that'll make it clearer.

You have to do it for every account you have.

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re :The message was threaded but the message showing was from a few days ago.

Basically you have this sort: As access via 'Menu Bar' toolbar View > Sort by > Date, descending, threaded.

So this means emails that are from a conversation to and fro - replies are set up as appended to the original conversation.


First turn off the auto threading option for when creating new folders.

  • Settings > General - scroll to bottom and click on 'Config Editor' button
  • In search type: default_view
  • You will see this line: mailnews.default_view_flags - It will have a numerical value of 1
  • click on the 'pencil' icon on the right to allow an edit.
  • Remove the number 1 and type in a zero 0
  • click on the 'tick' icon to save your settings.

You will now have: mailnews.default_view_flags - It will have a numerical value of 0

This will now mean any new folders you create, they will not have threading by default.

Do the same for : mailnews.default_news_view_flags

Apply desired sort view to Inbox in the mail account:

  • select 'Inbox' folder of mail account.

Set up the sort view you want to see.

  • 'View' > 'Sort by' and choose 'Date' and 'Descending' and 'Unthreaded'

Apply the sort view to all folders in the mail account:

  • Click on icon on far right of column headers to see drop down options
  • Hover over 'Apply current view to' > Hover over 'Folders and it's children' > hover over the 'mail account name' - not a folder to see list > click on the 'mail account name' not a folder.

You would need to repeat the above - for each mail account.

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Thank you all for your replies. I will work through the settings and be back if I have any problems.

The paraphrase Murphys LAw 'if anything can go wrong, everything can go wrong' applies to me in the past week and I'm having difficulty getting my PC and all my accounts back in order before I send my laptop for repair. I tried Reset I to get my Touchpad working after un/installing drivers failed. It didn't work and now I have many more problems.

One major problem is remembering passwords as the password managers don't remember all after the Reset PC. In Mozilla, I can't remember my password. When I try to change it, I receive a code and gain access but the password remains unchanged and I can't log in using the password. It's like Groundhog day. At this rate I will never be able to log in with the password.

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Passwords: Passwords can only be created/modified in the webmail account accessed via a browser. If you cannot remember the password, there should be a 'forgotten password' link where you try to logon. which you can use. Follow instructions to regain access to the webmail account and then reset the password.

Back in Thunderbird.... If passwords have been saved in Thunderbird they will be in this location:

  • Settings > Privacy & Security
  • Scroll down to 'Passwords' section
  • click on 'Saved Passwords'
  • Click on 'Show Passwords'

If you get prompted by a pop up small window which says 'Windows Security' in top left then you need to enter a pasword. What is that password....when you start up computer, you get prompted to enter your computer User Account password in order to see the desktop. That is password required. To edit a password - right click on relevant line and select 'Edit Password' completely clear all contents and then carefuly type correct password. You may need to do this for both incoming and outgoing.

Some servers require you to use an 'app specific password' - in which case instead of the normal password - same one you use to access webmail - you enter the app specific password.

If you have accessed 'Saved Passwords' and it's empty...restart Thunderbird At the prompt you need to enter password, then select the checkbox to 'Remember Password' and finally click on 'OK'

Please note: if you have any cleanup software on computer eg: CCleaner , WiseCleaner or even some Anti-Virus products offer the ability to 'clean up' temp files etc. Then it's important that you access those programs and make an exception - do not scan/cleanup anything that is in your 'Thunderbird' profile folders. On a Windows OS, the default location is this...C://Users/User name/Appdata/Roaming/Thunderbird Why do this...because those programs have a habit of cleaning up things like session files and password files.

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@Toad-Hall Passwords: Passwords can only be created/modified in the webmail account accessed via a browser. If you cannot remember the password, there should be a 'forgotten password' link where you try to logon. which you can use. Follow instructions to regain access to the webmail account and then reset the password. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

The above is how a forgotten password and change the password worked for most sites except Mozilla and Microsoft. When I select I forgot my password, I am sent a code to email or phone, I then enter the code in the box provided and then I'm in the account without getting the option to change the new password. I tried it several times a week ago after the Reset PC and tried it again a couple of days ago and it is still the same. If I keep on trying I may get locked out.

I found the passwords in Thunderbird, I had forgotten about that. I was familiar with it when I was changing from pop 3 to iMap.

Before the Reset, I had password managers in my browsers and they worked really well to keep track of my many passwords. There are four passwords for Mozilla in the FF password manager but none of them work. As I remembered few passwords when I started to get everything set up again I didn't have access to the password managers. I was desperate to post in Thunderbird to get my emails working again and could not understand why I was not permitted to change the forgotten password. I'm now almost back to normal though I find the new Thunderbird settings irritating. For instance, I'm deleting old messages as I didn't realise I had kept so many until this new version shows the number of messages in each of my many folders - that is good. What I find irritating is having to 'apply current view to folders and children'. AS I'm used to using the Touchpad (now broken) and now have to use the physical mouse I'm wobbling around and the option is at the bottom of the pull down menu, just as the Delete option is. I need a larger surface for the mouse as I run out of space. In the TB Community, I has a battle trying to reach My Questions in the Profile. Each time I got close, the pop up/drop down menu would close. It was like a game in a funfair - tap My Questions before it disappears. My arm is aching which does not help.

I will carry on clearing out my old/unwanted mesages and will also try out One Drive. I have had the 5GB free version for some time and just upgraded to 100 GB. It is confusing as I can only view files in File Explorer. They all looked the same and I wonder why despite selecting the One Drive icon it should all be in File Explorer. The interface/dashboard should be different for One Drive. I'm looking for One Drive for Dummies tutorial. One that covers the basics and with views that show in full screen what the tutor is doing. The ones I have viewed to date talk about file sharing, different versions of the same document etc. One thing I have learned is that delete does not mean delete and you can restore a deleted document for 30 days.

Modified by PhilG

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