Thunderbird no longer works with Hotmail (after 20 years)

Good grief, I've been using Mozilla for over 20 years with hotmail on a pop3 email client (Thunderbird) and now suddenly it doesn't work. It's April 2024 and it's been working fine, but now suddenly it has stopped.

Mozilla troubleshoot page:

Eldergeek page regarding same issue:

This fix is very involved and it doesn't necessarily fix the problem which apparently has been ongoing since January. I have no idea why now I sudden have started having the problem when it's been fine until just now. Plus it requires me to give out even more personal information to Microsoft which I don't want to do.

I can't even setup the two step authentication process w/Microsoft because it needs an app on my phone or something, which I refuse to use.

I used to work at an ISP in the early 2000s and it was common place for Microsoft to try to find ways to sabotage Mozilla for working with Microsoft. I think this is what's happening with this issue.

Anyway, I have trusted Thunderbird email client for decades and I know nothing else. Has anyone else gotten hotmail (outlook mail) to work with Thunderbird? If not, can someone suggest a trustworthy and reliable pop3 email client that works with hotmail/outlook? I hate downloading new software for use with personal information because I don't know what software I can trust, but here I am up against the wall.

Thanks if you can help. I haven't finished troubleshooting the "fix" but I'm now out of time having spent an hour on this. It's just webmail for me for now, which I really can't stand but am not forced to use.

The new Outlook app that replaced Windows Mail is better than using webmail. First export your Thunderbird address book to a .csv file and import the file into your account using webmail. Then open Outlook app from all apps list. Enter email address and password and the app does the rest. However it will be set up as a imap account, not pop.

BillMorton said:

because it needs an app on my phone or something, which I refuse to use.

Click to expand...

The Microsoft Authenticator App is a fantastic app and isn’t solely for Microsoft authentication.
I use it to authenticate Paypal, Firefox, Kaspersky, Amazon, Facebook and some others.
I find it a lot less complicated than others and for Microsoft logins, it’s the best I have found.

Did you read the story on the link that you posted?

Mozilla is working to resolve the problem. Presumably, Thunderbird needs a new OAuth setup with advanced MFA support.

Click to expand...

Meaning, be patient and until then, log into Outlook via your browser. Hopefully they’ll fix it in the next couple of releases but it reads like a complicated or time consuming work around.
This is why IMAP is superior than POP3, you don’t have to take anything with you when you migrate. It’s all still on the web as you would know from working at an ISP.
I use POP but only for my personally owned domains, of which I am in control of.

I had a read of the second link. (Mozilla) “Personally” I don’t think the steps look as complicated as they do tedious.
Easier also if you’re not using a business account.
I’ll say again, Microsoft Authenticator is a great app. Perhaps give it a try, delete it off your phone if you don’t like it. After all, you already have a Microsoft account, so really, there isn’t an issue? Surely?

glasskuter said:

The new Outlook app that replaced Windows Mail is better than using webmail. First export your Thunderbird address book to a .csv file and import the file into your account using webmail. Then open Outlook app from all apps list. Enter email address and password and the app does the rest. However it will be set up as a imap account, not pop.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I was thinking go with something from Microsoft for an email client. I'm not a webmail fan.

antspants said:

The Microsoft Authenticator App is a fantastic app and isn’t solely for Microsoft authentication.
I use it to authenticate Paypal, Firefox, Kaspersky, Amazon, Facebook and some others.
I find it a lot less complicated than others and for Microsoft logins, it’s the best I have found.

Did you read the story on the link that you posted?



Meaning, be patient and until then, log into Outlook via your browser. Hopefully they’ll fix it in the next couple of releases but it reads like a complicated or time consuming work around.
This is why IMAP is superior than POP3, you don’t have to take anything with you when you migrate. It’s all still on the web as you would know from working at an ISP.
I use POP but only for my personally owned domains, of which I am in control of.

Click to expand...

Yes, I read it. As I said, I spent about and hour on it. It's been a known issue since January, so I'm not that patient.

antspants said:

I had a read of the second link. (Mozilla) “Personally” I don’t think the steps look as complicated as they do tedious.
Easier also if you’re not using a business account.
I’ll say again, Microsoft Authenticator is a great app. Perhaps give it a try, delete it off your phone if you don’t like it. After all, you already have a Microsoft account, so really, there isn’t an issue? Surely?

Click to expand...

I'm a private person. I don't believe in just giving out my data to whatever company comes along asking for it. Just a couple years ago I wasn't happy about giving Microsoft my phone number just to keep alive my email address that I've had for over 20 years. I'm not happy that they farm my personal email for marketing. This is why I like to stick to the software I know. No one has the time or ability to understand all the legalese in the long disclaimers we are forced to agree to in order to use these products.

I don't want to install an authenticater and save cookies for Microsoft on my browser. I don't have apps on my smartphone that phone home and harvest information from me. So sure, it's not that complicated, but what's complicated is trying to decipher what I'm actually giving up to establish and use these new protocols. I simply do not understand the way younger generations are so willing to just give away their data and privacy to corporate america without much thought.

Oh, and then there's the bit about the "fix" not really working in all cases. At times, for some, it requires re-authentication.

Well, now it works. I didn't do any of the fixes. It just works like it has for over 20 years with no changes on my part. Yes, I'm using Thunderbird, new version. No double authentication. Just a complete waste of my time for no reason whatsoever.

Sincere thanks for those who tired to help. I really don't see any point in me dumping more of my time into this.

Cheers!

BillMorton said:

I'm a private person. I don't believe in just giving out my data to whatever company comes along asking for it. Just a couple years ago I wasn't happy about giving Microsoft my phone number just to keep alive my email address that I've had for over 20 years. I'm not happy that they farm my personal email for marketing. This is why I like to stick to the software I know. No one has the time or ability to understand all the legalese in the long disclaimers we are forced to agree to in order to use these products.

I don't want to install an authenticater and save cookies for Microsoft on my browser. I don't have apps on my smartphone that phone home and harvest information from me. So sure, it's not that complicated, but what's complicated is trying to decipher what I'm actually giving up to establish and use these new protocols. I simply do not understand the way younger generations are so willing to just give away their data and privacy to corporate america without much thought.

Oh, and then there's the bit about the "fix" not really working in all cases. At times, for some, it requires re-authentication.

Click to expand...

Reads to me that you’ve already given Microsoft everything they need to run authenticator. I don’t think it’s what you think it is.

BillMorton said:

Well, now it works. I didn't do any of the fixes. It just works like it has for over 20 years with no changes on my part. Yes, I'm using Thunderbird, new version. No double authentication. Just a complete waste of my time for no reason whatsoever.

Sincere thanks for those who tired to help. I really don't see any point in me dumping more of my time into this.

Cheers!

Click to expand...

Good news