Thunderbird 3 Tutorial

Thunderbird is an alternative mail client developed and distributed by Mozilla. Thunderbird is completely free to use and has a vast amount of user-created plug-ins available. If you have decided to try this application, you must learn how to use the program. This includes learning how to set up your e-mail account with the application while being able to navigate comfortably through each of its main menus and functions.

Instructions

Account Setup

1. Open Mozilla Thunderbird 3. A quick method to open Thunderbird is by clicking "Start" to open the Start menu. Type "Thunderbird" in the "Search programs..." box and press the "Enter" key. This opens Thunderbird's interface on your screen.

2. Click "File", then "New", and click "Mail Account." This loads a Mail Account Setup screen.

3. Type your name as you would like for it to appear to others in the "Your name" field. Type your email address and password in their respective fields, and click the "Continue" button. Thunderbird will automatically obtain the appropriate server settings for your mail carrier.

4. Review the obtained information, and click the "Create Account" button. You have successfully configured your Thunderbird to use your email account.

Receiving and Organizing your Messages

1. Click the "Get Mail" button, which is located at the top-left of the Thunderbird interface.

2. Look at the bottom of the Thunderbird window immediately after pressing the "Get Mail" button. This provides you with a status of your request.

3. Look at the center of the screen. This is where all your messages appear.

4. Open a mail message by double-clicking the item. This opens it in a separate tab in Thunderbird, which allows you to view the message in full-view.

5. Locate the function buttons at the top-right of your mail message. The "Reply" button is used to reply to the sender. The "Forward" button allows you to forward the e-mail to others. The "Archive" function allows you to store the message. "Junk" allows you to mark or unmark the mail as trash, and "Delete" lets you send the message to the trash folder.

6. Right-click "Inbox" on the left pane. This displays a list of options in context. Look at the "New Folder" option. Clicking this option will add an additional new folder on the left pane. You can store messages in this folder by right-clicking the message, and clicking "Move To, Your Folder." This is useful for ensuring the messages in Thunderbird stay organized and easily retrievable.

7. Locate the "Trash" icon, which is also on the left pane. This is where items you have marked for deletion will appear. Periodically, clear your trash. Perform this action by right clicking the icon and clicking the "Empty Trash" icon.

Sending Mail and Managing Contacts

1. Click the "Address Book" button at the top. This opens a separate Thunderbird component on your screen. This is used to manage your contact list in Thunderbird.

2. Click the "New Contact" button. This opens a New Contact dialog menu screen. This screen contains input fields used to enter the contact information of your friends, family and co-workers. Enter their information in the respective fields, and click the "OK" button.

3. Select the "Write" button at the top of the Thunderbird interface. This opens a Write window. Click the person icon in the "To" field, and select a recipient from your address book. Alternatively, manually type a recipient's email address in this field.

4. Type a subject for the email in the "Subject" field, and a message in the message body. You can also send an attachment, such as a photo or archive file, by clicking the "Attach" button at the top and browsing to the desired file.

5. Click the "Send" button to deliver your message. You have now successfully learned how to navigate and use Mozilla Thunderbird.

References

• Mozilla: Thunderbird Support