Thunderbird not Responding: Fix it With These 3 Solutions

Interference from your antivirus is the major cause of this issue

by Milan Stanojevic
Milan Stanojevic
Milan Stanojevic
Windows & Software Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He's a PC enthusiast and he... read more
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Reviewed by Alex Serban
Alex Serban
Alex Serban
Windows Server & Networking Expert
After moving away from the corporate work-style, Alex has found rewards in a lifestyle of constant analysis, team coordination and pestering his colleagues. Holding an MCSA Windows Server... read more
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  • If Thunderbird is not responding on your PC, it is likely due to interference from your antivirus.
  • To solve this problem as quickly as possible, enable Safe Mode on your PC.
  • You can also fix this issue by making an exception for Thunderbird in your antivirus software.
thunderbird not responding

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Thunderbird is one of the best desktop email clients on Windows 10, thanks to its ease of use and efficiency. However, users have been complaining that Thunderbird is not responding on their PC for some reason.

This can be annoying, as it renders the email client completely useless. Fortunately, it is not the most challenging issue, as it only requires a tweak or two.

Why does my Thunderbird keep freezing?

There are a series of factors that can cause the Thunderbird not responding issue. Listed below are some of the prevalent ones:

  • Problems with third-party apps: If you started noticing that Thunderbird freezes on startup after installing an app, the issue might well be caused by that app. Also, it might be due to some of your startup apps. The solution here is to use Thunderbird in safe mode.
  • Antivirus interference: If Thunderbird is stuck on loading a message, it might be your antivirus causing issues. Users have mainly found AVG and some third-party antiviruses to cause this. You need to disable these security tools or uninstall and replace them with one of the best antiviruses for Windows 10.

What are some common Thunderbird issues?

Thunderbird issues can prevent you from receiving new emails, and speaking of Thunderbird, these are some common problems reported by users:

  • Mozilla Thunderbird problems sending emails: This issue can occur if your email account isn’t correctly configured. To fix it, be sure that your login information is correct.
  • Mozilla Thunderbird is very slow: Many users reported this issue, but we already covered this problem in our Thunderbird is a slow article, so be sure to check it out for more solutions.
  • The Mozilla Thunderbird won’t download emails: This problem can sometimes occur due to your antivirus, and to fix the problem, you might have to disable or remove your antivirus software.
  • Mozilla Thunderbird keeps freezing, not responding, crashing, and hanging: These problems can occur with Thunderbird, but you should be able to fix them using our solutions.
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Tip
Quick Tip: Before starting any troubleshooting steps on Thunderbird, you should think about avoiding this problem altogether and try another email client.
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How can I fix Thunderbird if it’s not responding?

Below are some of the troubleshooting steps you should try before applying any of the fixes in this guide:

  • Restart your PC
  • Make an exception for Thunderbird in your antivirus software

1. Run Thunderbird from Safe Mode

  1. Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app and select the Update & Security option.
    update and
  2. Choose the Recovery option in the left pane and click Restart now under Advanced startup.
    restart now thunderbird not responding
  3. When your PC restarts, choose to Troubleshoot > Advanced options.
    advanced options
  4. Now, select the Startup Settings option.
    startup
  5. Click the Restart button.
    restart thunderbird not responding
  6. Finally, press the 5 or F5 to Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
    safe mode

If Thunderbird is not responding, it might be because of some apps or processes. Restarting your PC in Safe Mode will only enable the needed drivers and services to run your device.

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If Thunderbird works in Safe Mode, then the problem is most likely caused by a third-party app.

2. Disable antivirus

  1. Press the Windows key, type virus, and select Virus & threat protection.
    virus thunderbird not responding
  2. Choose the Manage settings option.
    manage
  3. Now, toggle the switch for Real-time protection backward to disable it.
    real time

In some cases, Thunderbird might not be responding because your antivirus is blocking it. The quick fix to this is to disable your antivirus temporarily.

The steps above only show how to disable Windows Defender. If you have any third-party antiviruses, you should disable them too.

3. Uninstall third-party antivirus

  1. Press the Windows key + I and select the Apps option.
    apps thunderbird not responding
  2. Select your antivirus software and click the Uninstall button.
    uninstall
  3. Finally, follow the onscreen instructions to complete the removal.

If disabling your antivirus does not fix the Thunderbird not responding issue, you might need to remove the software altogether. This is especially the case for AVG, as users have confirmed that it does not work well with Thunderbird.

That is all there is to fix the Thunderbird not working with Gmail, not responding, and other variations of the issue. All you need to do now is to follow the instructions carefully, and things should be back to normal.

If you decide to go alternative to Thunderbird, check our list of the best email clients for a productivity boost.

Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you fix this issue in the comments below.

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