Thunderbird Community Forum

Answers to the question "how to turn off all threading in Thunderbird" no longer work with changed menu structures in Thunderbird 115. What is the answer to this question now?

The inbox font in the Thunderbird email client on my Mac is super tiny, and it's very hard to read. I can't figure out how to make it larger. Is there a way to do this? I really like Thunderbird so far, but if I can't read it, I can't use it.

Thanks! Mark

I have several mail accounts connected to my thunderbird Version 115.10.1.

One of them is a account that regularly notifies me if about updates on my homepage. I want to receive those emails, but I don't want a notification about them. I do however want to receive notifications about emails from other accounts.

How can I disable the notifications for only one account?

Best, Alex

Hello, i try to customise the thunderbird mail colors, but can't find any settings to that. I want to change the colors for "marked as -> unread" messages and the color for new received messages. Can anyone tell me how to adjust this? I tried to add the "userChrome.css" file in the self created folder "chrome" in my profile directory, but nothing changed. Can someone help me? I use Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS version and the thunderbird version 115.6.0.

If I mark a message as Unread, it appears in the list of messages in boldface type. But I am finding it very hard to distinguish those in bold from other messages that have been read and are not bold. Is there anything in advanced settings that would allow me to change the fill colour in the listing box, or perhaps the colour of the type, in order to distinguish unread messages more visibly from those I have read? Thanks!

I would like to see the sender's email address in lieu of a name.

The inbox SELECT COLUMNS TO DISPLAY does not offer an option to DISPLAY THE SENDER’S EMAIL ADDRESS.

Both From and Correspondents display the same names. Perhaps replacing one of those with the SENDER’S EMAIL ADDRESS?

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝 As a regular here, I have frequently seen requests on how to prevent updates to Thunderbird. For most people, I believe the option found at Settings>General is sufficient. I also believe the default setting to automatically apply updates is appropriate if users do periodic backups. But I respect there are those who have strong feelings on the topic, and those who run a business and rely on stability more than new features. I acknowledge this information may be available elsewhere, and possibly superior in its approach, but this does work. So, here are the steps:

-   Create a simple text file called policies.json 
-   Enter this text into the file: 

  {
     "policies": {
        "ManualAppUpdateOnly": true,
        "AppAutoUpdate": false,
        "AppUpdateURL": "https://yoursiteisnothere.com"
      }
   }

- create a folder named ‘distribution’ and store it in the folder where thunderbird.exe resides. For Windows, that would be normally be C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\
- place the file called policies.json in the distribution directory
- start Thunderbird 
- to verify this, click Settings>General and scroll down to Updates. There, you should see the words, 
          “Failed to check for updates.”  (See attached screenshots for examples.)

If you later decide you want an update, the file or folder must be removed or renamed. If changes are made while Thunderbird is running, you must exit and restart for the change to take effect.

NOTE: My suggestion to persons using this technique is to, at least twice per year, download the latest version, test to your satisfaction along with any addon updates. The intent is to stay relatively current for releases, security, and support. To never update is not recommended.

How can I define a filter to display all my saved messages with attachments exceeding a certain size, e.g. attachments larger than 5 MB?

Many thanks for any hint. Peter

I like to have newest emails at the top of the list rather than bottom. I have just moved 30GB of email data to TB from 20 yrs on Mac Mail. Hooray!

I don't need to explain how many local folders I've got, and the pain it will be to sort every folder manually!

Please could someone advise me how to force all folders to sort by date/descending? thanks

Threading is something I, and indeed large numbers of Thunderbird users, do NOT want, ever.

Please provide an option to disable threading, across all folders, all acounts.

Even worse, the option to Ignore Thread, is simply a way to lose emails. To have a shortcut to hide a message, without even knowing, is crazy. Given how poor Windows control of focus is, and how easy it is to start typing but actually still be in the email listings, its inevitable that you will hit e.g. K or A or whatever, and cause bizarre effects or lose emails.

So I want to disable threading to avoid losing emails. I would also like to disable Archiving, and other functions, that are all simply ways to lose emails by accident.

Thanks.

When I select "Edit as New Message" in Thunderbird (v52.9.1) on a Mac, the message editor comes up in html mode even if I have set everything to plain text.

I have read all the articles on this and done all the things people have recommended including messing with Advanced options, account settings, etc. However, none of these solutions work.

Attached is a screenshot showing the problem. The first screenshot shows my inbox. The second shot shows that "Edit as new message" comes up in html mode.

Please advise.

I've just completed a new install of Thunderbird on a computer (Windows 10 -release 115.8.0 32 bit) and find that the message list does not have the usual columns for From, Date, Subject etc and no column headings. Instead each message in the list has the above message characteristics spaced out over two rows. This format applies to all three Layout Views (Classic, Vertical, and Wide). I prefer the usual column format which allows for more messages to show since only one row is used per message.

How do I get the usual columnar format to show in the message list window? I'be been all over the View and Setup screens and just can't find any function for this.

Thanks, JS

How can I turn off the threading of my emails? Its driving me crazy as when an email comes in after a short time it disappears into the threads and then I have to open each thread to find out who sent the email. At one stage there were 6 emails noted near the inbox but no new unthreaded message, all went to respective threads. Very time wasting.

Since font size is controlled in Firefox by CTL +/- why not the same for the main screen in Thunderbird? Eyesight requires larger characters. Simple solution best. Past my time to futz.

There are two "bad email" files in Thunderbird: JUNK and SPAM. I'm still not clear on the difference.

For JUNK mail, TB gives us the option to select "NOT JUNK". Good.

But for SPAM, I cannot find the option "NOT SPAM"

1) Why are there separate SPAM and JUNK directories? And why are they managed differently? This seems terribly non-intuitive and inconsistent and just strange.

2) How can I train SPAM filter to not flag good email from trusted senders? For instance, I get email from my wife many times a day for many years. Today, TB put her email into SPAM. Isn't there a simple command to "white list" a sender's email address?

I have TB 115.6.0 running on 3 computers (1 desktop and 2 laptops). On 2 computers there is a tiny icon on the right hand side in the menu bar that allows me to switch between the "new and improved" (but utterly horrible), side by side message list and the classic view.

On the laptop I am currently using to write this request, TB 115.6.0 does not have that wonderful little icon and I am condemned to use the side by side display or find another mail client.

Can someone help me find or restore that little icon that gives me a choice or alternatively lets me change the message list display back to its old useful configuration?

As an aside, why do software developers insist on making "improvements" that no one needs or wants?