Thunderbird can check several accounts, but a refresh of one account does not necessarily refresh every folder you expect. Start with the intended mailbox and distinguish offline cached messages from a current connection to the server.
IN THIS ARTICLE
What you need before you begin
Confirm the business mailbox and use a newly sent message with a distinctive subject for comparison. Keep webmail available and note the server arrival time before adjusting Thunderbird's checking behaviour.
01 Check for new email in Thunderbird
- Select the business account or its Inbox in the folder pane. Use Get Messages or the get-mail control offered by the current layout.
- Check whether Thunderbird is in offline mode and review any status or activity error. Confirm your computer has internet access.
- Clear active search or quick-filter controls, then inspect Junk and relevant folders.
- Compare with webmail using a uniquely titled test message. If necessary, review the account's Server Settings for its scheduled check behavior.
Confirm the expected result
Confirm that the test message arrives in Thunderbird and its read state synchronises with webmail where IMAP is used. Check the account selected by any combined inbox view.
Troubleshoot unexpected results
If webmail has the message but Thunderbird does not, investigate the client connection, folder subscription and filters. If it is missing on the server too, check delivery and mailbox quota. Do not delete local profiles before securing any local-only mail.
A common question
Will checking more often make a sender deliver faster?
No. Polling can reduce the delay before Thunderbird notices mail already delivered to the server. It cannot speed up a sender's queue or bypass delivery checks.