Set up Gmail IMAP on Thunderbird 3

Question

I can't seem to get Thunderbird 3 and Gmail to work together. I've been a Thunderbird user for years, and I have a different Google mail account set up and working already which successfully migrated in from Thunderbird 2.

I'm not even sure at what end the problem is. I think I have the client set up right, and I think the strange cryptic error message I get is from Thunderbird:

Alert
Web login required (Failure)

On the Gmail side I have logged in to my account and enabled IMAP. The settings I see in their how-to for Thunderbird 2 all seem to be set right in Thunderbird 3.

I'm at a complete loss as to what else I can check.

Answer 1

Are these IMAP settings the answer?

Answer 2

There is a quick and easy way to this, check it out here: http://www.high-on-it.co.za/2011/02/how-to-setup-gmail-in-thunderbird-with.html

Answer 3

I have a different google mail account set up and working

Have you enabled IMAP in the Mail account you're trying to add to Thunderbird 3 ?

Image courtesy How-To Geek

This Google groups discussion indicates few other Non-Thunderbird users are also facing the same problem. You might want to try

• Enable Always use SSL
• Use the unlock CAPTCHA link

Answer 4

I changed NOTHING - I just waited about an hour, during which time I did log in to the web interface, then, it just started working in Thunderbird. No changes were made on either end.

I guess when ever you get the above error the answer is to be patient.

It's possible I triggered all this by accidentally repeatedly entering the wrong password the first time I tries to access the account from TB. It's also possible that it takes some time for the change in settings to allow IMAP to take effect.