Thunderbird Won’t Download New Messages – How to Fix It?

Thunderbird is a popular application that allows the downloading, e-mailing, attaching, and mailing of files, photos, videos, and other stuff, including online chats, on its free open source. It is an email-based local application rather than a web-based one. However, it is still one of the easiest to use and most powerful applications to exist in today’s digital era.

This task is made even easier and quicker with the best thunderbird to outlook converter tool that lets you automatically transfer several GBs of Thunderbird files to the Outlook mailbox within seconds. However, even with all its advantages, thunderbird sometimes fails to download new messages. Why does that happen? How to fix that? Let’s find out in this article.

Reasons Why Thunderbird Won’t Download New Messages and Ways to Fix It

Thunderbird application stops working due to malfunction, corruption, or fragmentation in its system. One of the main reasons for this to happen is that the application only downloads the most recent emails. Plus, the application also does not download any new messages and emails if your device or your application is low on storage. Hence, deleting some files from the server may help solve the issue.

Some servers use high protocols such as POP and IMAP. However, the problem of the application not downloading their new messages and emails is still faced by many Thunderbird users. This is why, in order for your application to work, you will need to force the application to download all of the emails and messages so that your work continues to move at a smooth pace.

If the Thunderbird Account Is Configured on IMAP

Thunderbird has many advantages for its use. For example, it allows us to export thunderbird address book to outlook without any lengthy procedures and requires less upload speed. If your thunderbird account is configured on the IMAP protocol, you could perform the given steps to resolve the issue of the server not downloading any of your new messages or emails.

1. Open the thunderbird server on your computer or laptop.
2. Open the Menu icon and select Tools.
3. Navigate to the Account Settings.

4. Select the button for the Synchronization and Storage section For The IMAP Account.
5. Enable the option for keeping the messages on the computer.
6. If thunderbird is not downloading new messages and emails locally, then click on the button for Always Keep Starred Messages.
7. On the same page, you would also see the option for Disk Space Settings. Click on that button if you want to make changes in the downloading of your emails and messages. For example, if you want that the server should download all of the messages and emails or only the new ones.
8. For downloading specific folders click on the Advanced option. This will force the server to download all IMAP emails and messages.
9. Check the option for Downloading the inbox folder.
10. Lastly, click twice on the button for OK.

Be careful, that you will need to check each folder and its sub-folder separately for downloading the messages, as checking the parent folder only does not guarantee the download of its subfolders.

If the Thunderbird Account Is Configured on POP3 

A Thunderbird server only saves emails and messages locally if the POP3 account is established. Hence, to save space, the server usually deletes the email once it has been downloaded. If you have stopped receiving new messages and emails on your thunderbird account, the culprit is usually the firewall or the antivirus software.

1. Open the interface for the antivirus or the firewall on your computer.
2. Click on the menu and select Help. 
3. Then click on the button for Troubleshooting the Information.
4. Navigate to the Applications Basics Section and click on the button for Open Folder. This option usually resides next to the option of Profile Folder.
5. Clicking this option will open the location for your Thunderbird profile on your system.
6. Close the Thunderbird application and look for the Global Messages DB.SQLite File in the profile location tab.
7. Delete the Global Messages DB.SQLite File.
8. Restart the Thunderbird application.
9. You can start using the application even when the reindexing process is in progress. However, the application will respond slowly during that process.
10. In order to keep the track of the indexing process, you can click on the Activity Manager option in the Tools section.

Performing these steps will download and synchronize your new and old email messages to your MBOX files.