*Please note that Microsoft now requires an authentication protocol known as, “OAuth2”, for IMAP and SMTP email applications and clients. Mozilla Thunderbird, 78.2.1, has been supporting that authentication since September 2020. Please ensure you have updated your application to at least this version.
Recent updates to Thunderbird, version 156.x, (September, 2026) offer a more seamless connection to your UW e-mail using, "Microsoft Graph". Some instances of Thunderbird that had been configured with EWS (Exchange Web Services) may display a message that the service is being discontinued. Clients will have to remove those account settings and add a new account.
*Screen shots for Mac and Windows versions differ slightly, but use the same procedure and information.
1.) New installs or brand new configurations:
Upon launching for the first time, fill in your name and university e-mail address.
If this is an existing install, locate and click the Settings icon, then, "Add Account."
2.Configure the connection with the service
Thunderbird will require more information to connect.
Select the option listed, Microsoft: Exchange or Microsoft 365
Thunderbird will attempt to auto-detect setting, then return to the dialog box for the service URL
Enter in: https://graph.microsoft.com/
3.) Choose an account type
- Select: Microsoft Graph
- Enter in or confirm your university email address
- Authentication method: OAuth
- Enable the option to, "Use default Microsoft 365 Copilot authentication settings.
Then click the "Connect" button to verify settings.
After clicking Connect, you may be prompted to to sign into your UW account, additionally you may be offered the confirmation message to grant permissions for Thunderbird to access your account. Review the selection, then choose Accept to continue (or Cancel if you wish not to grant permissions. Thunderbird will not function without granting access.) These permissions may be revoked at a later time if you no longer wish to use Thunderbird by signing into your account on the web site: https://cloud.microsoft, opening your account dashboard, opening, My Apps, selecting Thunderbird and Revoke Consent.
Thunderbird should now be configured. Click Finish to close the new account window. E-mail messages will begin synchronizing and your folder list populating.
