Install Thunderbird on Linux

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  • Creator: Marcelo Ghelman
  • Comment: Installing for just one user, formatting, and more
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This article explains how to download and install Thunderbird on a Linux.

This article only applies to Linux. For instructions to install Thunderbird on Mac, see Install Thunderbird on Mac.For instructions to install Thunderbird on Windows, see Install Thunderbird on Windows .

Installing from your distribution package manager (Recommended)

To install Thunderbird using your distribution package manager, please refer to your Linux distribution's documentation.

This method is the recommended way because it ensures Thunderbird and all the required libraries are installed and configured optimally for your distribution. However, there may be a small delay between the official release of a new version of Thunderbird and the moment when your distribution updates the version it distributes. Your distribution may also distribute it without the Thunderbird branding.

Installing from Snap

To install Thunderbird from Snap, install Snap on your computer. Once Snap is installed, go to the Thunderbird Snapcraft's Store page, click the Install button and follow the instructions.

Installing Thunderbird manually

Before you install Thunderbird manually, make sure that your computer has the required libraries installed. Missing libraries will cause Thunderbird to be inoperable.

Installing for all users (advanced)

  • To install Thunderbird with this method, you must be able to login as root or execute sudo commands.
  • This installation will have priority over the Thunderbird version installed through your package manager.
  1. Go to the Thunderbird's download page and click on the Free Download button.
  2. Open a terminal and go to the folder where your download has been saved. For example:
    cd ~/Downloads
  3. Extract the contents of the downloaded file:
    tar xjf thunderbird-*.tar.bz2
  4. Move the uncompressed Thunderbird folder to /opt (as root, or preceded by sudo):
    mv thunderbird /opt
  5. Find out where your distribution stores system files, to know which paths to use in the following steps:
    • which firefox | sed 's/firefox//'
      The result may be /usr/bin/ or /usr/local/bin/.
    • find /usr -name firefox.desktop | sed 's/firefox.desktop//'
      The result may be /usr/share/applications/ or /usr/local/share/applications/.
  6. Create a symlink to the Thunderbird executable (as root, or preceded by sudo):
    rm -f /usr/bin/thunderbird; ln -s /opt/thunderbird/thunderbird /usr/bin/thunderbird
    or
    rm -f /usr/local/bin/thunderbird; ln -s /opt/thunderbird/thunderbird /usr/local/bin/thunderbird
  7. Download a copy of the desktop file (as root, or preceded by sudo):
    wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mozilla/sumo-kb/main/installing-thunderbird-linux/thunderbird.desktop -P /usr/share/applications
    or
    wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mozilla/sumo-kb/main/installing-thunderbird-linux/thunderbird.desktop -P /usr/local/share/applications
    Alternatively, if wget is not installed on your computer, go to the URL mentioned above, right-click on the page to open the contextual menu and select Save Page As. After you download the file, move it to /usr/share/applications or /usr/local/share/applications.
  8. Verify that the installation was successful: Open Thunderbird, click the menu button Fx89menuButton, click Help and select More Troubleshooting Information. In the Application Basics section of the Troubleshooting Information page, the value of the Application Binary entry should be /opt/thunderbird/thunderbird-bin

Installing for just one user (easier)

This installation will not have priority. Links to send mail from other applications will open the Thunderbird version installed through your package manager.
  1. Go to the Thunderbird's download page and click on the Free Download button.
  2. Open a terminal and go to the folder where your download has been saved. For example:
    cd ~/Downloads
  3. Extract the contents of the downloaded file:
    tar xjf thunderbird-*.tar.bz2
  4. Create a launcher on the Desktop:
    ln -s ~/Downloads/thunderbird/thunderbird ~/Desktop
    You can also right-click on the Desktop and select Create Launcher. Fill in Name Thunderbird. Select Browse next to Command and choose ~/Downloads/thunderbird/thunderbird