Mozilla Thunderbird as RSS Reader

RSS feeds, also known as news feeds, are a method of delivering information to subscribers. Feed readers are software applications that gather up these subscriptions in a convenient place on a user's desktop computer. This enables users to spend less time hunting and gathering their favorite news, blogs, and updates.

One popular RSS reader is Mozilla Thunderbird - users can check their Illinois Wesleyan e-mail and gather news feeds in one place. The following steps will guide you through adding news feeds to Thunderbird on your computer.

  • Find a website that supplies an RSS feed link

A website featuring an RSS link

  • Click the RSS link, then copy the web address from the feed page

Highlight and copy the RSS feed URL

  • Open Mozilla Thunderbird and add a new account for RSS feeds

Add a new account for feeds in Thunderbird

  • Choose the "RSS News & Blogs" account type and click Continue

Select the RSS feed account type

  • Click continue  to give the news feed account a name, then click done to complete the creation of your new account.

  • You will now have a new section of folders in Thunderbird. When you click on this section, you will have the option to "Manage Subscriptions." Click the "Manage Subscriptions" link.

Click Manage Subscriptions to add your first RSS feed

  • Click "Add" on the Subscriptions window

Click Add to add a feed address

  • Paste the feed address from the website you copied earlier, then click OK.

Paste the feed address into Thunderbird

  • Thunderbird will now download news articles from the website feed address. When updates are posted on the website, a copy will be automatically delivered to your computer.

Thunderbird, complete with subscribed feed.

If you need additional assistance, please call the Information Technology Services Help Desk at 309-556-3900, e-mail it@iwu.edu, or use the online support request form (on-campus or via campus proxy server only).