How to configure Thunderbird for use with Microsoft Exchange Server email
I've received an email account from a company using Office 365 on an Exchange Server. The server is setup for IMAP. I seem to be able send mail from TB (using smtp.office365.com as the outgoing server), but it will not show up in a "Sent Folder" in the Account on TB. Both the sent and received emails are saved on the Office Mailserver, if I look on the web portal or on my iphone's mail app. Even more puzzling, I can't received email on with TB. The inbox is empty, although the emails are being received at the server (showing up on Web portal and iphone). I've got 4-5 email accounts, all running in TB. I'd hate to have to use something else for this MS Office mail. Is there some secret in getting Thunderbird to play well in this environment? The incoming server is auto-discovered by Thunderbird as IMAP SSL/TLS on Port 993, but I'm getting a reject of pswd authentication upon trying to "get messages" in TB.
Chosen solution
The setup may have defaulted to POP, since that's enabled, and POP downloads just the Inbox. Or, it may have simply added the Inbox to the folder pane before the setup was completed and failed due to the authentication error.
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The incoming IMAP server should be outlook.office365.com on port 993, SSL/TLS security, user name = email address, and authentication = normal password. But if you have 2-step verification on the account the password should be an app password. Same for the outgoing, smtp.office365.com on port 587, STARTTLS security.
Also, because office365/outlook.com accounts automatically copy sent messages to the IMAP Sent folder, uncheck 'Place a copy in...' in Copies & Folders in Account Settings. Right-click the account in the Folder Pane, Subscribe, and check that Sent is subscribed.
OK, I've reset the server as you've suggested. I tried to subscribe to the individual folders, but none are coming up in the folder pane? Not even the in box shows up, even though it's the only folder showing up in the folders pane of TB.
I took a peek at the server's mail settings, using the web portal for my account on outlook.office.com, and found this. Perhaps this is why Thunderbird is not working correctly? I'm curious why it's working at all, if IMAP is "disabled"? It also indicates that POP is enabled, and I suspect that's probably not intended as POP is not secure.
You certainly won't see any folders if IMAP is disabled, but if POP is offered, it uses the same server, outlook.office365.com, but on port 995, SSL/TLS security - which is the same as the IMAP security. You will have to add the account as POP if you wish - it's not sufficient to just change the port.
If IMAP can't be enabled, you can try one of the Exchange add-ons, Exquilla or Owl.
@ sfhowes, Thank you for the help. I think if I can't get that IMAP enabled, I'll look into those add-ons. There's just no way I'm giving up my Thunderbird app.
If IMAP is disabled, I don't understand why I'm able to see just the "Inbox" in TB's folder Pane for this account. Of course, it's empty, because the authentication keeps failing. I'll send a screenshot, so you know what I mean.
Chosen Solution
The setup may have defaulted to POP, since that's enabled, and POP downloads just the Inbox. Or, it may have simply added the Inbox to the folder pane before the setup was completed and failed due to the authentication error.
Thanks again. I'll give the add-on's a try next.