Step-by-step: e-mail configuration for Thunderbird

Have you created an e-mail address in the Hostpoint Control Panel and now want to use it in Thunderbird? We’ll show you how in this article – one step at a time.

Thunderbird is a free and easy-to-use e-mail program. It can be used with Windows, macOS and various Unix operating systems. Thunderbird offers many features that make sending e-mails every day a pleasant experience.

Instructions for desktop

Download Thunderbird

You can download Thunderbird free of charge from the following link in various languages for Windows, macOS and Unix: https://www.thunderbird.net/

Automatic configuration

1. Open Thunderbird and click “Email” under “Set Up Another Account” on the start page of the e-mail area.
   
   → This will start the e-mail account setup wizard.
2. Enter your full name, as well as your e-mail address, and click “Continue”.
   Note: The name will be displayed as a sender to the recipients of your e-mails.
   
   → Thunderbird usually recognizes the server settings by itself. 
3. Now select either an IMAP or POP3 account:
   • IMAP: With this option, your e-mails are stored on the server. Each time you read an e-mail, a copy is downloaded from the server.
   • POP3: With this option, your e-mails are downloaded to and saved on your smartphone. The messages are then deleted from the server. This allows you to read your e-mails at any time, even if you are not connected to the internet.
   If you are unsure, select “IMAP”.
4. Check if the automatically detected settings match the following:
   • Incoming mail server: imap.mail.hostpoint.ch or pop.mail.hostpoint.ch
   • Outgoing mail server: asmtp.mail.hostpoint.ch
   • Username: Your e-mail address
     
     

     If all the information is correct, click “Continue”. If not, follow the steps in the Manual configuration section.

     
     
5. Enter the password for your e-mail address and click “Continue”.
   
6. Click “Finish” to complete the setup. Alternatively, from here you can also immediately add another e-mail address or set up settings such as end-to-end encryption or signature.
   

Manual configuration

1. If the automatic configuration in step 4 was not correct for all entries, click on “Edit configuration”.
   
2. Correct the incoming mail server settings and click “Next”. For details on e-mail settings, see this article.
   
3. Also correct the outgoing mail server settings.
   
4. Then click on “Test”.
   → If Thunderbird has successfully verified the information, a success message will appear.
5. Click “Continue” to save the settings and follow the instructions in section Automatic configuration, starting from step 5.

Check account settings 

If you want to review or change your account settings after setup, you can do so under “Account settings” > “Server settings” / “Outgoing mail server”.

Instructions for mobile devices

Thunderbird is also available as an app for mobile devices (currently only available for Android).

To also set up your e-mail account on your smartphone or tablet, you have two options:

1. Manually set up the app: You download the app from your device’s App Store and manually set up your account by entering your connection details.
2. Automatically set up the app: You also download the app via your smartphone’s App Store. If you have already set up your e-mail account in Thunderbird on your computer, you can then scan a QR code with your device. The account will then be set up automatically.

The procedure for both options is described below.

Manually setting up the app

1. Download the Thunderbird app from the App Store using your device and open it.
2. Tap “Get started”.
   
3. Start the setup by clicking “Add an email account now”.
   
4. Enter your e-mail address.
   
   →Thunderbird may not automatically recognize the server settings. If this is the case, click “Configure manually”.
   
   
   
5. Now choose between the IMAP or POP3 protocol:
   • IMAP: With the “IMAP” option, your e-mails are stored on the server. Each time you read them, a copy is downloaded from the server.
   • POP3: With the “POP3” option, your e-mails are downloaded and stored on your smartphone. The messages are then deleted from the server. This way, you can read your e-mails at any time, even if you are not currently connected to the internet.
     
     If you are not sure, choose the “IMAP” account type.

6. Enter the appropriate name of the incoming mail server under “Server”:
   
   • IMAP: imap.mail.hostpoint.ch
   • POP3: pop.mail.hostpoint.ch
7. Enter the password for your e-mail address and tap “Next”.
   
8. Under “Server,” enter the outgoing mail server asmtp.mail.hostpoint.ch and tap “Next”.
   
9. Enter your name and tap “Next”.
   Note: Your name will be displayed to recipients of your e-mails as the sender.
   
10. Set the synchronization options between your device and the server and tap “Next”.
    
11. You can now allow Thunderbird to access your contacts and notifications. If you don’t want to do that, tap “Skip”.
    

→ The account has been set up and you should now see your inbox with all your messages and folders.
 

Automatically set up the app

1. Download the Thunderbird app from the App Store using your device and open it.
2. Open the Thunderbird app on your computer at the same time.
3. Click on your e-mail account and then on “Account Settings” in the top right corner.
   
4. Switch to the “Thunderbird Settings” menu.
   
5. Click “Export for Mobile” in the menu.
6. Make sure your e-mail account and the “Include all accounts passwords” option are enabled, then click “Export.”
   
   → Your computer may now prompt you to enter your password. After that, you’ll see the QR code for automatic setup.
7. Open the Thunderbird app on your mobile device and tap “Get started.”
   
8. Tap “Import settings” > “Scan QR Code”.
   
9. Confirm the process on your device by selecting “Import”.

→ Your settings have been imported. You should now see your inbox with all your messages and folders.