We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Why is thunderbird so slow to pick up mail?

  • 1 resposta
  • 3 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Matt

more options

I am new to Windows 10. Used to use Mail app on Mac. Which was fine. My email is a gmail account - picking up via IMAP.

This morning and I've had thunderbird open for 3 hours, I have just received one email from a yahoo sender sent over 2 hours ago. One client's email comes through at different times, not always sequentially. Usually in excess of 20 minutes after they sent it! I have set the server to pick up every 4 minutes (it was 10 as default) but it's still not behaving normally.

Where do I start to debug this?

I am new to Windows 10. Used to use Mail app on Mac. Which was fine. My email is a gmail account - picking up via IMAP. This morning and I've had thunderbird open for 3 hours, I have just received one email from a yahoo sender sent over 2 hours ago. One client's email comes through at different times, not always sequentially. Usually in excess of 20 minutes after they sent it! I have set the server to pick up every 4 minutes (it was 10 as default) but it's still not behaving normally. Where do I start to debug this?

All Replies (1)

more options

you start by changing the timing back to 10 minutes. Reducing it to a figure less than that is really asking for trouble unless you are connected via a fiber gigabit network connection to the mail server.

Gmail offers support for the idle command in it's imap accounts with sees the server initiate the notice to the user of now mail. But these things usually simply do not work if you have short timing between mail checks.

If you are using POP, I suggest you changer to using IMAP if timing is important to you. I would also suggest you seriously consider stopping any email scanning in your anti as that often has a detrimental effect on mail arrival.