If you use:

• View > Sort by > Date, Descending, Unthreaded

All emails are considered top level and will be individually listed with newest at the top.

If you use:

• View > Sort by > Date, Descending, Threaded

All single emails and all top level emails (that have 'replies' as threads) will be listed as newset on top. So any emails that have threads are sorted by the initial thread. All threads contained within a top level thread are not effected by the Sort by setting and are listed in conversation order appended to the original initial thread. As in a normal message conversation, replies get appended below and not above. This is typically seen if you ever use a Chat or Message in eg: Facebook or any similar forum.

There has been many requests to be able to have the threaded component reversed but it does not seem to be forth coming.

If a top level thread gets a new mail then it becomes underlined to indicate that thread has new unread threads contained therein.

Personally, I used a userChrome.css file force my top level threads to be bold and more visible.

I also use the 'Quick Filter' as it makes it easier to see new mail. Enable 'Quick Filter' and clickon the envelope icon to filter 'Show only unread messages' This is instant and makes it easy to locate new mail. It's also just as easy to clickon same icon again to go back to normal view of Message List.

Thank you. Appreciated. But my View does not have a Sort By option. I am on a Mac with Firefox/Google email.

The control for message list is easiest accessed using the "Message list display options" icon to the right of "Quick Filter".

Thanks but I don't think I have "Quick Filter" or Message List display options. I am just going to live with it and assume it is not possible.

Everyone has a quick filter (in theory). If you are not seeing it, then somehow your message list header got disabled. That's easy to fix - View > Layout > Message List Header.

My View drop down does not have Layout. As I said, maybe enough time spent. I can manage as is. Your effort is appreciated.

My View drop down does not have Layout. As I said, maybe enough time spent. I can manage as is. Your effort is appreciated.

I notice you said "I am on a Mac with Firefox/Google email." Please note we are talking about 'Thunderbird' email client not 'Firefox' browser. Firefox 'View' does not have 'Sort by' nor 'Layout'. If you are using gmail webmail account via the Firefox browser then you are not using Thunderbird, so it's not going to be of any use asking about a gmail webmail account in a Thunderbird Support Forum.

If you are talking about Thunderbird then: What version of Thunderbird are you using? This might effect where things are located. If you are using a very old version eg: 91* then 'Quick Filter' used to be on the 'Mail Toolbar'

Current versions have the following. If you use/enabled the 'Menu Bar' toolbar then 'View' has 'Sort by' options - actually this option has been around for decades in the same location. Nothing has changed.

Recent versions now also include the 'Message List Header' If you use the 'Menu Bar' toolbar then 'View' has 'Layout' > 'Message List Header'. If you use the 'Menu app icon (3 lines)' then 'View' has 'Layout' > 'Message List Header'.

'Quick Filter' button is on the 'Message List header'.

You can also put 'Quick Filter' on the top 'Unified Toolbar' using 'Customise'.

Or you can use the keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl+Shit+K' - I believe MAC uses 'command' key instead of 'Ctrl'.

Thank you for the clarification. I thought I read somewhere on some Firefox site that if I was getting Google emails, it meant I was on Thunderbird. Sorry to have misled you. I appreciate your efforts to be helpful.

Thank you for the clarification. I thought I read somewhere on some Firefox site that if I was getting Google emails, it meant I was on Thunderbird. Sorry to have misled you. I appreciate your efforts to be helpful.

No worries. We do not mind. As a general rule we do not offer support for things to do with the google/gmail webmail account unless it is directly related to connectivity with a gmail mail account set up in Thunderbird. But on this occasion I made an exception. Here is some info that might be useful to you. If viewing emails in the gmail webmail using a browser... At the top of list on the right side you should see something like this '251-255 of 255' - although you might see different numbers. Hover mouse cursor over that number and you will see eg: Newest appear in a drop down menu - click on 'Newest' and it auto resets the view to show newest email on the top and the number will change to eg: '1-50 of 255'

Click on the gear icon for Settings and then select 'Show all settings' On the 'General' tab you can choose how many 'conversations' to show - I set mine to 50 as it is a convenient size for number of emails in list per page. You can choose whatever suits you.

If you do want to use Thunderbird then you can get it from this link: https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/

You will need to:

1. set up Firewall to have Thunderbird program as an allowed
2. disable any VPN or set a split tunneling for Thunderbird to use.
3. Temporarilly switch of any program that uses 'localhost' such as Apache Xampp - typically used by people who manage websites.
4. In Thunderbird - Settings > Privacy & SEcurity > set up to allow cookies

You can ask for help in this Support Forum for anything regarding using the Thunderbird email client program.