Configure push email for Thunderbird for Android

By default, push email is off for all folders. Thunderbird for Android allows you to configure a limited number of folders (IMAP only; POP is not supported.) for push email so that you can see incoming email messages immediately.

Turn on push email for a folder

WARNING: The maximum number of push folders for an account is set in the app menu ≡ > Settings gear icon > your email account > Fetching mail > Advanced > Max folders to check with push. Thunderbird does not enforce this limit. Please ensure you do not go over this limit.

1. Tap ≡ at the top left. If your email accounts are hidden, tap Show accounts at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap account e.g. your gmail account > tap Manage folders.
3. Tap your folder of choice. For example: tap Inbox to enable push email for your Inbox.

   

4. Turn on push email for this folder by tapping until the slider is on the right for Enable Push.
5. Turn off sync for this folder by tapping until the slider is on the left for Enable sync.

Once push email is enabled for at least one folder, you should see a bell icon in the Android system bar. The bell icon indicates that push email is enabled and working.

If you do not see the bell icon, please stop Thunderbird for Android and open it again.

Alarms & Reminders Permission for Android 13 and above

1. On Android 13 and above, a notification will let you know you need to grant the Alarms & reminders permission. Proceed to the permissions screen by tapping the notification Tap to grant permission.

   

2. Add this permission by tapping until the slider is on the right for Allow setting alarms and reminders. If you do not grant this permission, then push mail will not work.

   

How to control the push mail notification

Once you enable push mail, Thunderbird for Android will display a notification. You change this notification (e.g. turn it off or change the display) by tapping on the notification or via app menu ≡ > Settings gear icon > Notifications > Messages under Notification categories

Do not display the push mail notification

• Slide Show notifications to the left.

Change the push mail notification

If you choose to display the push mail notification, Android offers several display options. Here are the most important:

• Default: ring or vibrate depending on your Android settings or Silent.
• Sound: the default notification sound.
• Show notification dot: whether or not to display a notification dot in the Android system bar.

Turn off push email for a folder

1. Tap ≡ at the top left. If your email accounts are hidden, tap Show accounts at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap account e.g. your gmail account > tap Manage folders.
3. Tap your folder of choice. For example, tap Inbox to disable push email for your Inbox.
4. Turn off push email for this folder by tapping until the slider is on the left for Enable Push.
5. Turn on sync for this folder by tapping until the slider is on the right for Enable sync.

Learn more

• Wikipedia: Push email
• Google: Control notifications on Android