Thunderbird opens in the state you left it in when you exited. This is the default. I suspect this is because people like to start where they left off. This saves time reopening.

You would need to close all tabs and collapse all folders before exiting to get Thunderbird to open in that state.

to close all tabs in one go (except the first tab): right click on first tab name and select 'Close other tabs'

to collapse folder tree: click on small black arrow to the left of the folder/ account name

Helpful hint: If I only need to expand a folder to get access to a sub folder, but will not need to look at anything else in the expanded folder, this method may be of assistance.

Expand top level folder to see sub folders. right click on subfolder and select to open in a tab. then collapse the top level folder again.

Pro's: You have access to the folder via a tab. As you have immedaitely expanded and collapsed the tree, you save space in the Folder Pane so less scrolling and you do not need to remember to collapse it later. The open Folder via a tab will close when you select to close all other tabs before exiting.

• Sorry....ignore the above as I've discovered it opens the original top levell folder in the first tab when viewing via second tab.

I've seen a bug report requesting a button/option to be able to collapse all the folder- tree. But this would be a manual operation. You could vote for this. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=539140

Many thanks but as you say it doesn't quite work.

I am working with multiple email accounts with numerous folders and subfolders associated with each. By the end of the working day there are hundreds open. I deal with email that day and file it because I may need to come back to it but I don't usually want it open the following day.

It is now about half way through my working day and I have just scrolled down over 5 full screen-heights-worth of open folders and far from all of them are open.

I'm grateful for the bug-report link and will certainly add my vote to that 'collapse folders' button suggestion.

In your current situation, you would have to keep remembering to close expanded folders after working on the sub folders.

You could try using 'Favourite' folders as if it were your work folders. This gives a less cluttered look.

Expand top level folder. right click on sub folder and select 'favourite folder' select any other sub folder Collapse the top level folder.

Repeat this for all folders you expect to be working on. Yes, you still have to manually collapse the folders but it is easier to do this at this point before working in any folder. This leaves the folder pane with basis folders but all the sub folders are not expanded.

You can add or remove folders from the 'Favourite' selection.

change the view:

• View > Folders > Favourite

shows folders selected with their top level folder which can be useful. But it does not show all the other subfolders unless you selected more in that folder. A more refined less cluttered view. Now you can work on those folders. If you want to remove those top level folders for a really compact view: (you will need to do this each time you select Favourite view)

• View > Folders > Compact view

When finished. View > Folders > All will return to normal view and note that no folders are expanded.

You can deselect 'Favourite ' folder: right click on folder and untick/select 'Favourite' option.

Many thanks. It sounds almost as laborious as the current situation but I'll give it a try!

The 'was this helpful' button does not, to my mind, mean that the problem is solved and so I have reversed (I hope) the result. The long-term problem still exists but you have provided a possible work-around in the short-term, thankyou.