How can I eliminate getting strange characters in my emails instead of apostrophes and other symbols?
Usually it means the program is using the wrong font code page. You can change these settings. Use this support page as a guide: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Font_settings_in_Thunderbird Â
On Thu, Apr 30, 2020 at 12:33 PM Steve Johnson <sdj828@comcast.net> wrote:
When you have a minute, please look at the body of the attached pdf. Where there should be apostrophes, there are strange characters. Many other symbols cause the same problem. This happens in almost every email I receive. It started when I started using Thunderbird a year or two ago. It's driving me crazy! Is this an area where you can make a suggestion for a cure?
Chosen solution
Try this:
- Menu icon > Options > Options > Advanced > 'General' tab
- click on 'Config Editor' button
It will say be careful :)
In top search type: force_char and look for this line:
- mailnews.force_charset_override
If it says value is 'True':
- double click on the line to toggle the Value to say 'false'
- close window - top right X
Check this setting:
- Right click on 'Inbox'
- click on 'Properties'
- uncheck the checkbox “Apply encoding to all messages in the folder…”
- click on 'OK'
All Replies (8)
What setting do you have in this location - please post an image showing contents of 'Fonts & Encoding' window.
- Menu app icon> Options > Options > Display > 'Formatting' tab
- click on 'Advanced' button
Please see attached jpeg.
The  seems to be where a double space is inserted after a sentence. Is the sender of these messages sending through a Yahoo-type account (Yahoo/AOL/AT&T/Verizon/Sky)?
The message is going through Comcast. IMAP. Other symbols also make strange characters.
I haven't heard of this before with Comcast, but you can try setting mail.strictly_mime to true (double-click to toggle) in Tools/Options/Advanced/General/Config. editor to enforce Quoted Printable encoding (Outlook default). If it doesn't help, it's easy enough to switch back to the default (right-click, Reset).
"I haven't heard of this before with Comcast, but you can try setting mail.strictly_mime to true (double-click to toggle) in Tools/Options/Advanced/General/Config. editor to enforce Quoted Printable encoding (Outlook default). If it doesn't help, it's easy enough to switch back to the default (right-click, Reset)."
I am grateful for this suggestion, but it did not solve the problem. Here is an additional sample that illustrates the problem:
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Chosen Solution
Try this:
- Menu icon > Options > Options > Advanced > 'General' tab
- click on 'Config Editor' button
It will say be careful :)
In top search type: force_char and look for this line:
- mailnews.force_charset_override
If it says value is 'True':
- double click on the line to toggle the Value to say 'false'
- close window - top right X
Check this setting:
- Right click on 'Inbox'
- click on 'Properties'
- uncheck the checkbox “Apply encoding to all messages in the folder…”
- click on 'OK'
These last two suggestions seem to have solved the problem. I am grateful. Thank you!