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Can't send emails from Thunderbird after password change

BeeJay04135
BeeJay04135 Posts: 2 Spectator
in Email

Have had account set up on Thunderbird for several years and it was working fine until Spectrum forced a password change. I changed the password in TB to match but now it will receive but not send. The error message is always that "sending timed out." I've checked the server settings several times and been through it with customer support but gotten nowhere. I can send from spectrum.net so their answer is just to use that, which is completely unsatisfactory given it doesn't support addresses on other domains, calendar integration, etc. Any suggestions?

Comments

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 6,157 Contributor

    Hello @BeeJay04135 welcome!

    I Googled this topic for troubleshooting. Here are the results:

    After changing your email password, you cannot send emails from Thunderbird because the stored password is now incorrect

    . To fix this, update your new password in Thunderbird's saved passwords manager and verify your outgoing SMTP server settings in Account Settings, as a password change can sometimes affect authentication. If the issue continues, try removing and re-adding the email account.

     1. Update the password in Thunderbird 

    • Navigate to the password manager: Go to Tools > Options > Security > Passwords (or Privacy & Security > Passwords in newer versions).
    • Find and edit the password: Locate your email address in the saved passwords list, select it, and choose "Edit" or "Show Password" to update it. You may need to find and edit the password for both the incoming (IMAP/POP) and outgoing (SMTP) connections.
    • Restart Thunderbird: After saving the changes, close and reopen Thunderbird. 

    2. Verify SMTP server settings 

    • Open Account Settings: Go to Account Settings and select your email account.
    • Check the Outgoing Server (SMTP): Go to Outgoing Server (SMTP) and select the server for your email account.
    • Verify settings: Ensure the server name, port, and security settings (like SSL/TLS or STARTTLS) are correct. The password should be set to use "Normal Password" authentication. 

    3. Remove and re-add the account 

    • If updating the password doesn't work, remove the account from Thunderbird completely by going to Account Settings > Account Actions > Remove Account.
    • Restart Thunderbird and then add the account back, which will prompt you to enter the new password correctly during the setup process. 

    4. Advanced troubleshooting

    • Check for app-specific passwords: Some providers use app-specific passwords instead of your main account password, especially if two-factor authentication is enabled. Check your email provider's security settings for this.
    • Repair the Outbox: If emails are stuck, try closing Thunderbird and renaming the "Unsent Messages" and "Unsent Messages.sbd" files in your profile folder. You can find this folder by typing %APPDATA%\\Thunderbird\\Profiles\\ in your File Explorer's address bar. 

    Satch

  • BeeJay04135
    BeeJay04135 Posts: 2 Spectator

    Thanks for posting, Satch. I had done all of that, multiple times, except 4b before I posted here, with no success. I'm running Linux and while Thunar found a few TB folders, none had a subfolder called profiles. The find command from the root didn't turn up anything either, so I'm at a loss.

  • ferra
    ferra Posts: 20 Participant
    edited November 9

    Same problem here. I’m wondering why we have to do this. I was told a few months ago, by a Spectrum rep, when I called on a different issue, that Spectrum will be phasing out email. This seems to be a lot of unnecessary hassle for us. I have Thunderbird too, on a Mac. I can find the TB profiles, but nothing there. We’ve only been given a week. Is there no way we can get more time?
    I also need to use the Thunderbird interface, not the web version. Web version is too limited. I have more options with Thunderbird. Being told to use spectrum.net is not a viable solution for me. I have 7 different email accounts I’ve sent up. Been using rr.com for years. I need to be able to continue with current set up. Has anyone found a rep that can help with the problem?

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 6,157 Contributor

    Good Afternoon,

    Has anyone reached out to Thunderbird support about this issue?

    Satch

  • Edward_T
    Edward_T Posts: 375 ✅ Verified Employee Moderator

    I can understand the concern about the passwords not working. I would recommend you check the settings for the email. It is possible that you have older settings that are no longer valid. You can visit the following site for information on what settings you should be using. https://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/mobile-email-setup

  • ferra
    ferra Posts: 20 Participant

    What happens if we don't change passwords by 11/11/25? Will our emails stop working? I'm trying to figure this all out. I have had my Spectrum email for years. I have created sub-emails on my account. I'm afraid to lose everything.
    Also, does Spectrum have any advice for alerting everyone we've been doing email with that our address has changed?
    If we currently have XXX@nycap.rr.com, what will it end in now? Can someone please tell me? I'm trying to read all the comments. I'm not sure if I will have XXXX@spectrum.net or XXX@charter.net

  • ferra
    ferra Posts: 20 Participant

    What happens if we don't change passwords by 11/11/25? Will our emails stop working? 

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