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Thunderbird not saving passwords.
Just migrated Thunderbird from PC to Mac. No passwords show up in password manager under preferences. I have checked save password box each time. Table is blank. Still, think I can get incoming mail by putting in passwords each time. But cannot send mail. Get message that server did not accept password. I know password correct because I can sign in online. I deleted key3.db from profile. There was also a key4.db that I did not delete. I have 5 email accounts, and all the same problem. Thank you.
Vahaolana nofidina
Did you copy the profile from the PC to the Mac? If so, this kind of problem is often fixed by deleting the pkcs11.txt file from the profile on the Mac, while TB is closed. Help/Troubleshooting Information, click Show in Finder to open the profile, close TB.
The key3.db file was migrated to key4.db in newer versions of TB. If it's necessary to delete password files, all 3, including key4.db, cert9.db and logins.json should be deleted at the same time.
Hamaky an'ity valiny ity @ sehatra 👍 0All Replies (17)
Vahaolana Nofidina
Did you copy the profile from the PC to the Mac? If so, this kind of problem is often fixed by deleting the pkcs11.txt file from the profile on the Mac, while TB is closed. Help/Troubleshooting Information, click Show in Finder to open the profile, close TB.
The key3.db file was migrated to key4.db in newer versions of TB. If it's necessary to delete password files, all 3, including key4.db, cert9.db and logins.json should be deleted at the same time.
Thank you. Had to delete all files you mentioned.
I have the same problem for one calendar only. I'm running thunderbird 68.4.1 (64 bits) on linux, but I have exactly the same problem on windows (on another PC). The password is not saved for a zoho caldav calendar. I deleted pkcs11.txt and all the suggered files from the profile folder, new files were recreated but the problem is the same. I noticed, after entering password that the login/password is not saved in password manager for this calendar. It did not happen with older versions of thunderbird thanks a lot
Novain'i raymondp t@
Running the 64-bit Linux version of Thunderbird. This morning, I cannot gain access to my Mail accounts on Yahoo! and GMail. Being asked for the mail server passwords. If I enter the passwords and check the Use Password Manager to Remember box, nothing happens. If I enter the password without checking the Remember box, Thunderbird will go out and collect the email ... one time only. I have deleted the key4.db, cert9.db and logins.json files with no change.
mbott said
Running the 64-bit Linux version of Thunderbird. This morning, I cannot gain access to my Mail accounts on Yahoo! and GMail. Being asked for the mail server passwords. If I enter the passwords and check the Use Password Manager to Remember box, nothing happens. If I enter the password without checking the Remember box, Thunderbird will go out and collect the email ... one time only. I have deleted the key4.db, cert9.db and logins.json files with no change.
What is your version of TB, and what kind of authentication on the accounts, normal password or OAuth2? For IMAP accounts, OAuth2 for Yahoo and gmail are recommended, and you should have TB 60.9.1 or 68.4.2.
I'm running 68.4.1 normal passwords.
mbott said
I'm running 68.4.1 normal passwords.
POP or IMAP? POP requires some hoops to jump through, such as enabling less-secure apps, app passwords if 2FA is on etc. Fewer issues with Yahoo and gmail if you use IMAP/OAuth2.
Yahoo! has been pop for years. GMail has always been IMAP.
Yahoo is soon going to require OAuth for POP accounts, but right now OAuth is only supported by TB for Yahoo IMAP. Until POP is supported, you might be able to allow 'less-secure' apps in the account settings in webmail, and generate an app password.
https://help.yahoo.com/kb/mail/generate-third-party-passwords-sln15241.html
If the gmail account uses normal password, switch it to OAuth2 in Server Settings.
"If the gmail account uses normal password, switch it to OAuth2 in Server Settings."
Doesn't want to authenticate at all.
For OAuth to work, cookies must be enabled in TB Tools/Options/Privacy. Plus, delete any gmail passwords in Options/Security/Passwords/Saved Passwords before you authenticate. A browser window should appear where you enter your regular account password, and then an oauth:// item is stored in Saved Passwords.
Cookies have been and are enabled in Preferences > Privacy. Saved Passwords in Preferences > Security > Passwords > Saved Passwords is totally empty. Any attempt to save a new password fails when the browser window opens and email address and password is entered.
Novain'i mbott t@
Was the profile folder copied from Windows to Linux? If it was, you would have to delete pkcs11.txt from the profile folder to have the passwords stored. Otherwise, if you have the right version of TB, and you deleted the three password files and it still doesn't work, I can only guess there's an external app managing passwords. For the gmail account, look at the account settings on the website and see if your computer is an Allowed Device.
For now, I went back to the Win10 Thunderbird which is also 68.4.1. I "lost" about 40 emails, but nothing at all critical.
As for deleting pkcs11.txt, I've never had to do that in the 2+ years I've bounced between Linux and Windows. I will keep it in mind for the next attempt. :)
Thanks
Deleting pkcs11.txt was all I needed to do to resolve this. Thanks!
I found a strange workaround for my problem with zoho calendar:
- Uninstall last version of thunderbird,
- Install older version 60.9.1, connect to my calendar and check save password in password manager, which works,
- Then upgrade to last version. The password is still in database, so no need to enter again.
This looks clearly like a bug in last version of thunderbird.
Novain'i raymondp t@
raymondp said
I found a strange workaround for my problem with zoho calendar:This looks clearly like a bug in last version of thunderbird.
- Uninstall last version of thunderbird,
- Install older version 60.9.1, connect to my calendar and check save password in password manager, which works,
- Then upgrade to last version. The password is still in database, so no need to enter again.
Thank you for posting this! I was having the same problem with a zoho calendar, it was driving me crazy, especially with 2FA because you need to use an app password that isn't something you are even supposed to memorise but do because you have to enter it every morning when TB starts up... worst.