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

Download of Thunderbird not happening!

more options

Hello Thunderbird/Firefox People,

I've tried to download Thunderbird onto my new computer (with Windows 11 OS), so that I can transfer the Thunderbird files from my old Thunderbird account on the old computer, but the download doesn't start! I just get a page with a "Retry" button (if download doesn't start automatically). But the browser times out in a few seconds, so I press "Retry" again and again! I found I was "forced" to make a donation before I could progress with to the download page, which was not good. I even retried the whole process, this time paying the minimum "donation" of $8 AUD, but still no downloads happened, after numerous "Retry" button pressing. What is the problem? Why can't I download? I do not want to make anymore donations! Is there a way to choose not to donate? Please help! Chris B.

Hello Thunderbird/Firefox People, I've tried to download Thunderbird onto my new computer (with Windows 11 OS), so that I can transfer the Thunderbird files from my old Thunderbird account on the old computer, but the download doesn't start! I just get a page with a "Retry" button (if download doesn't start automatically). But the browser times out in a few seconds, so I press "Retry" again and again! I found I was "forced" to make a donation before I could progress with to the download page, which was not good. I even retried the whole process, this time paying the minimum "donation" of $8 AUD, but still no downloads happened, after numerous "Retry" button pressing. What is the problem? Why can't I download? I do not want to make anymore donations! Is there a way to choose not to donate? Please help! Chris B.

All Replies (3)

more options

Thunderbird is FREE and has always been. The official site is https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/ and you are never required to make a donation. Not EVER. Please share the URL of the site requiring payment as it is not an official site.

more options

You do have the option of making a donation to help the Thunderbird community however it is optional and not required. https://give.thunderbird.net/ https://www.thunderbird.net/donate/

more options

Thank you David and James for your responses, and you are both correct in what you have communicated. However, not long after I posted my question, I worked out what the problems were!

Because I'm using a new operating system (Windows 11 Pro) and a new computer with a larger monitor display, everything appears and works differently. I discovered an "X" up in the right hand corner of my screen which cancels and removes the donation box in the middle of the page, which I had formerly not been able to progress past until I had made a donation.

Regarding the failure to download, I discovered that every time I had clicked on the "Download" button, the start-up file had indeed been downloaded, something like 10 times! However, with my new PC set-up, I was receiving no notification that I had successfully downloaded, or where it was to be found! When I found that I had indeed been downloading the set-up files, I was easily able to go through the "Wizard", and get my Thunderbird Account installed on my new PC! So, all is now good!

Thank you again for the responses to my cry for help, and I'm sorry for any inconveniances I may have caused, due to my neophyte ignorance!

Kind regards,

Chris B.