Adding a Connect Google Workspace Account to Mozilla Thunderbird Using IMAP Protocol

Faculty, staff, students, and affiliates are required to authenticate via one of two methods in order to access their Connect Google Workspace email account:

1. Current faculty, staff, students, and affiliates, are required to authenticate access via SSO and Duo MFA.

2. Former faculty, staff, and students, with active accounts, are required to authenticate via Google's 2-Step Verification.

Click on the appropriate link below for your authentication instructions.

For the best user experience, we recommend using Gmail via the web app at https://mail.google.com or the Gmail app on your smartphone.

This configuration guide demonstrates how to access your Connect Google Workspace account using Mozilla Thunderbird.  Depending on your version, these screenshots may look different.  We suggest upgrading to the current version, and we encourage local IT to be involved with updating their users' clients so that any necessary configurations can be preserved.  ETS can assist with setting up the recommended/supported clients.

To use Thunderbird, IMAP or POP3 must be enabled on the Gmail web app.  They could be enabled by default, but you can make sure by doing this:

On your computer, log into the Google Web App.

In the top right, click the gear icon ("Settings"), then click See all settings.

Click Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.

In the "IMAP Access" section, select Enable IMAP or POP3 (if needed).

Click Save Changes (if needed).

Standard Configuration

1. Launch Thunderbird.  If this is your first time using Thunderbird you may see the following prompt.  You can elect to make Thunderbird your default email client by clicking the Email box.  If you have already created an email account in Thunderbird, scroll down to step 3.

2. Enter your Full Name, Email Address, and Password.  You may also use your departmental email alias in the Email Address field (<localpart>@dept.ucsb.edu vs. <UCSBnetID>@ucsb.edu).  Click Continue.

3. You will then see the following Sign In screen, as seen in the first screenshot below, to authenticate access to your Connect Google Workspace email account.  Enter your UCSBnetID@ucsb.edu email address and click Next.  On the next screen, as seen in the second screenshot, enter your password and click Sign in.  On the next screen, as seen in the third screenshot, click Allow.  On the final screen, as seen in the fourth screenshot, click Finish.  This will complete the Google OAuth2 authentication process and Thunderbird will now have access to your UCSB Connect (Google Workspace) email account.

4. Whether you have configured an email account in Thunderbird before or this is your first configuration, right-click on your email address at the top of the left column and select Settings (first image). To add another mail account: Under the Account Actions menu located in the lower left hand corner, select Add Mail Account... (second image). If you are reconfiguring an existing mail account, scroll down to step 7.

5. Repeat the same actions as described in Step 2: Type in your Full Name, Email address (or Departmental Email Alias), and Password. Click Continue.

NOTE:  If you have activated 2-Step Verification for your Connect account, the Authentication Method must be OAuth2 or you must use the App Password you created for Thunderbird.

6. Once you have Set Up Your Existing Email Address, under Available Configurations, select IMAP or POP3.  The remainder of these instructions show the IMAP configuration and POP3 follows the same process.  Click Done.

7. By clicking Done, the Account Settings window will close.  Click on your Inbox on the left hand side to download your messages and folders (depending on the amount of email you have, it will take hours).  Once your folders appear, you can continue with this configuration guide.  Right-click on your email address at the top of the left column, and select Settings (as previously shown in step 3).

8. At the top of the left column, click on your email address to reach the Account Settings.  The Account Settings section allows you to update Your Name, Email Address, and create your Signature.  Type the text you would like at the bottom of each outgoing message in the Signature text box.  You can also attach your signature from a file or attach your vCard to messages. 

9. Click on Server Settings on the left column.  Under Security Settings, ensure the Connection Security is set to SSL/TLS and the Authentication Method is set to OAuth2.  For existing Thunderbird accounts, if the Authentication Method is set to Normal Password or any other setting, change it to OAuth2.  Under Server Settings > When I delete a message section, pick Move it to this folder, then under the [Gmail] parent folder, select Trash.

10. (Optional) Click on Copies & Folders on the left to bring up the section for your Sent, Archive, Drafts, and Templates folders.  Under the When sending messages, automatically section, check the Place a copy in checkbox.  Select Other, and from the drop-down menu, click on your email address, then the [Gmail] parent folder, and select Sent Mail.

11. While still on the Copies & Folders area, check the box next to Keep message archives in under the Message Archives section.  Select Other, and from the drop-down menu, click your email address, then the [GMail] parent folder, and choose All Mail.

12. While still on Copies & Folders area, check the checkbox for Keep message drafts in under the Drafts and Templates section.  Select Other, and from the drop-down menu, click your email address, then the [GMail] parent folder, and choose Drafts.  You can leave the Keep message templates in at the default setting.

13. Click on Composition & Addressing on the left column.  Choose your defaults for composing messages.  Here you can also optionally configure Thunderbird to use the UCSB Directory (for instructions, go here).

Note: configuring Thunderbird to use the UCSB Directory applies only to clients on the UCSB campus network.  The UCSB Directory is not available to Thunderbird from off-campus locations.

14. Click on Outgoing Server (SMTP) on the left column.  This area displays your SMTP servers. Press the Edit button.  This brings up your SMTP server settings window.  Under Security and Authentication, ensure Connection security is set to SSL/TLS and Authentication method is set to OAuth2.  Click the drop-down arrow to change either setting, if needed.

15. While still on Outgoing Server (SMTP) area, remove all SMTP servers except the Google Mail - smtp.gmail.com (Default) server.  To remove the outgoing servers, choose the server from the list, press the Remove button.  Press the Yes button on the Delete Server pop-up window.

16. Click on Junk Settings under Local Folders on the left column, then uncheck Enable adaptive junk mail controls for this account and click OK.  You may now begin using Thunderbird with your Connect/Google Workspace account.