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

Making Thunderbird standard client

  • 1 reply
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

more options

On my neigbours pc we added TB yesterday. I convinced him that it´s the best email provider. We made it the default. Still the inbuilt Windows 8.1 client takes over and all receiving mails come to that one. We couldn´t import the adress book to TB . I wasn´t allowed just to get rid of the inbuilt one since his wife needs all the adresses and we could not import it to TB. So how to go about it to receive mail to TB ? Sending is no issue !

On my neigbours pc we added TB yesterday. I convinced him that it´s the best email provider. We made it the default. Still the inbuilt Windows 8.1 client takes over and all receiving mails come to that one. We couldn´t import the adress book to TB . I wasn´t allowed just to get rid of the inbuilt one since his wife needs all the adresses and we could not import it to TB. So how to go about it to receive mail to TB ? Sending is no issue !

All Replies (1)

more options

You need to set up Thunderbird as the default email client and stop opening the Win8 email client.

If win8 email client opens because either you select it or it is set to auto launch on startup of computer and it is not set as default, then it will probably ask to be set up as default in which case say no and close it.

If win8 email client is set to lauch on startup then stop that process.

Additional info: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Change-the-default-e-mail-program

Control Panel > Default Programs select: 'Set default Programs' click on 'Thunderbird' click on 'Set this program as default'

check those details - click on 'choose Defaults for this program' This should be selected: .eml .wdseml MAIL TO E-mail link

click on 'Save ' to save any changes.

check and select: 'Set program access and computer defaults'.

  • select 'custom' and click on downward pointing chevons
  • Choose a default email program.
  • Choose Mozilla Thunderbird and select 'enable access to this program'
  • Remove tick in check box to disable access to other email clients.
  • click on OK

Select: 'Associate a file type or protocol with a program'

  • .eml to use Thunderbird

protocols:

  • MAIL TO to use Thunderbird.

Open Thunderbird and check this is selected: Tools > Options > Advanced > General tab. or Menu icon > Options > Options > Advanced > General tab.

System integration select; 'always check to see if Thunderbird is the default mail client on startup' click on 'check now' button to check this. click on OK

re: Address Books Address Book - export as a .csv file.

Then import into Thunderbird. Tools > Import or Menu icon > Tools > Import

select Address Books click on Next select Text file (LDIF, .tab, . csv, .txt) and click on Next You may need to map the column headers.