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Cannot send emails

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 44 views
  • Last reply by FredMcD

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Following a change of password with my service provider, I can receive emails but cannot reply or send new emails. Tis is the error message: " Sending of the message failed. Unable to authenticate to Outgoing server (SMTP) mail.btinternet.com. Please check the password and verify the 'Authentication method' in 'Account Settings | Outgoing server (SMTP)'."

Efforts to check or edit my Outgoing server (SMTP) password have proved a waste of time. Despite following all available instructions, screenshots, and online comments, I am unable to change or check my SMTP password. I am able to select 'Password' authenication, but not able view or edit the password. I have deleted that particular account and set up a new one with the same email address, but authentication problem remains. I have spent too much time trying to resolve this issue, so now I have no choice but to use annoying 'Windows Mail'. If I cannot resolve this issue, I will have no choice but to bid a sad farewell to the otherwise reliable Thunderbird which I have used for years.

Following a change of password with my service provider, I can receive emails but cannot reply or send new emails. Tis is the error message: " Sending of the message failed. Unable to authenticate to Outgoing server (SMTP) mail.btinternet.com. Please check the password and verify the 'Authentication method' in 'Account Settings | Outgoing server (SMTP)'." Efforts to check or edit my Outgoing server (SMTP) password have proved a waste of time. Despite following all available instructions, screenshots, and online comments, I am unable to change or check my SMTP password. I am able to select 'Password' authenication, but not able view or edit the password. I have deleted that particular account and set up a new one with the same email address, but authentication problem remains. I have spent too much time trying to resolve this issue, so now I have no choice but to use annoying 'Windows Mail'. If I cannot resolve this issue, I will have no choice but to bid a sad farewell to the otherwise reliable Thunderbird which I have used for years.

Chosen solution

None of these blocking or intercept issues apply in this case. All the different advice followed in order to change the PW never gets you to the actual PW, so you cannot edit it. The PW itself appears to to inaccessible. It's easy to select the authentication method (eg. password, encrypted, or whatever) but not to access the PW itself to update it. I solved the problem by uninstalling Thunderbird then reinstalling, during which process I could enter my new password: a 10 minute exercise as opposed to the previous hours of fruitless research. Thanks for your help, but if any other reader needs to amend their PW, then uninstalling and resinstalling appears to the most efficient method, by a long margin.

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Several possibilities.

Make sure you are not blocking content.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enhanced-tracking-protection-firefox-desktop also see https://blog.mozilla.org/security/2021/03/23/introducing-smartblock/

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/smartblock-enhanced-tracking-protection


Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot(Safe) Mode {web link}

A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Troubleshoot(Safe) Mode (not Refresh). Is the problem still there?


Many site issues can be caused by corrupt cookies or cache.

Warning ! ! This will log you out of sites you're logged in to. You may also lose any settings for that website.

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Chosen Solution

None of these blocking or intercept issues apply in this case. All the different advice followed in order to change the PW never gets you to the actual PW, so you cannot edit it. The PW itself appears to to inaccessible. It's easy to select the authentication method (eg. password, encrypted, or whatever) but not to access the PW itself to update it. I solved the problem by uninstalling Thunderbird then reinstalling, during which process I could enter my new password: a 10 minute exercise as opposed to the previous hours of fruitless research. Thanks for your help, but if any other reader needs to amend their PW, then uninstalling and resinstalling appears to the most efficient method, by a long margin.

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That was very good work. Well Done. Please flag your last post as Solved Problem as this can help others with similar problems. Go to that post and click the 'Solved' button to its right.