Using Thunderbird's Offline Mode

Thunderbird's offline functionality was restored in Thunderbird 1.0.2. (In earlier versions you had to download and install an extension to use offline mode). If you would like to use offline mode and you are using an earlier version of Thunderbird, please download the latest version here.

If you are in an area without Internet access and need access to your mail, what should you do? Use Offline Mode! If you tell Mozilla Thunderbird to make your IMAP account inbox available offline, all messages will automatically be downloaded to your computer and you can read them or write replies without being connected. Then whenever you are able to connect back up to the Internet, you can do a "send and receive". Using Thunderbird in offline mode with IMAP is a good alternative to POP.

If you want to keep your emails available on your computer when you are offline, follow these instructions:

1. From Thunderbird, click Tools, then Account Settings.

2. Select Offline & Disk Space.

If you only want access to messages in your INBOX, then check the box next to "Make the messages in my Inbox available when I am working offline". If you want other folders available for offline use, click on the "Select folders for offline use... " button and select the folders that you wish that store offline.

To go offline:

• Select File | Offline | Download/Sync Now... from the menu.
• Make sure Mail messages is selected under Download and/or sync the following:
       * Also check Work offline once download and/or sync is complete.
       * Click OK.
• Indicating you are now in offline mode, the icon in the bottom left side of your Thunderbird window looks like this:    

To go back online:

• Click the online/offline icon in the lower right corner of the Mozilla Thunderbird window. Or, select File | Offline | Work Offline from the menu.
• Indicating you are now working online, the icon in the bottom left side of your Thunderbird window looks like this: