Thunderbird Community Forum

The File (saving to a folder) Recent function used to have the folders alphabetically. Some genius thought to reorganize the Recent folders to be in chronological order. Is there a setting to have the Recent folders be in alphabetical order again? I could not find anything. Thanks in advance.

I am trying to set up a visualization of the columns of the main interface. Here's what I do:

1. Click on the list icon in the top right corner.
2. Uncheck the columns I want to hide. Specifically, From (CB), Recipient (CB), and Correspondents (CB).
3. Apply the selection to all folders: click on the icon in the top right corner, apply columns to.. > folders and its children... > select account > Confirm

These actions produce immediate results. However, the next day or a few days later, when I reopen the program, the column display changes. Sometimes in the main folder (inbox), sometimes in the subfolders.

Is this a known bug? Is there anything I can do to keep the desired column configuration stable?

As the topic says, the message list turned from the usual dark-mode look, to a full black background after updating to 151.0.

Was this an intentional change? How can I revert it?

Hi

When Thunderbird is started maximized it overlap taskbar if is set to hide and taskbar won't show until Thunderbird is minimized and maximized. Another way is to press the Win key two times. Then the hided taskbar can be shown/use. The same thing happens to Firefox. Only when is first started. Then if Firefox is minimized and maximized, press Win key two times, press F11 two times then the hided taskbar show/hide normal.

It is a setting that can be changed to start Thunderbird and Firefox in full screen and do not overlap hided taskbar?

Hi,

I am trying to edit my message separator line (which I added many years ago). Now there is a big gap in the line and messages. How can I reduce this gap please? Any advice?

Regards,

LS

I have one file folder that I moved certain files to that once read, they are not visible or listed in the folder. The folder massage count is 296. When I move an email into the folder and it is not read, I can see the message. Once read, it disappears. I can filter by attachments and contacts and see some but not all of the messages.

I just installed Thunderbird on an up to date Windows 11 PC and unchecked the box Automatically mark messages as read, but it keeps marking all of my messages as read.

Help please!

When I tried to import my OpenGPG keys from the "Select File to Import...", I found that it cannot display the hidden files or directories.

Did I miss a setting for this? What can I do to show the hidden files?

after setting up a new install on another pc (ver148) and moving the profile folder over,

the only issue i have so far is the little yellow star in the folder for new mail having arrived in is not showing up. it will show the number of new msgs on the taskbar icon only.

can this be fixed?> can seem to see it in settings.

image attached of how it looks on the old pc

thanks

I have Thunderbird on another PC that shows the incoming emails with the contents with the contents displayed under the email list, yet on my new PC I cannot seem to get that setting. I have to double click an email and it opens a new tab. I have used your help and also YouTube to no avail.

For some time the feature to use color in text has not worked. I deleted and re-installed Thunderbird but no change. I cannot change the font color when typing an email, and making changes in the settings has no effect, either.

I have my "signature" saved as an HTML in color, and it also will only display in black.

Any articles and solutions posted seem to be for people using Macs or some other kind of computer. I have Windows 11 for a Lenovo Idea Pad 5. Thank you in advance for any and all guidance you can offer.

When I open an email that contains a thread, each response (or reply) shows up in its own window. This results in LOTS of email windows on the screen, and I have to fish around to find the one I want to see. Then I have to close all of them one at a time. How can I change this so the email thread is in one continuous window?

I was helping my hosted email provider track a phishing email and I had to turn on my headers in my emails so they could track the source of the email. Now I need to turn off the "Display Header" setting and I cannot locate it.

How do I make Thunderbird, just forward the email without the full header?

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Whenever i send a message , it is saved to the 'inbox' previously it would be saved "sent mail". I have verified that TB is configured to save to sent mail but the msg is saved anyway to inbox.

Can some one explain how to get back to saving sent messages to sent mail folder.

In all honesty I find it frustrating to keep moving msgs manually.

A few weeks ago, I had to re-add my email account in Thunderbird and took the opportunity to switch from POP3 to IMAP. I am generally familiar with the synchronization behavior associated with IMAP. However, I did not pay close attention to the Sent folder at the time, and I have now noticed that there are almost no sent emails stored on my local computer. When I checked with my email provider (freemail.web.de), I discovered that the retention period for sent emails is limited to 30 days. Apparently, the sent emails (in the “Sent” folder) are synchronized with the server and are therefore deleted from my local system as well once they are removed on the server.

I have now increased the retention period on the server, but I would still like to clarify the following points:

• Is the synchronization of the Sent folder in fact intended to mirror the server folder (i.e. including the deletion of emails)?
• If so, is it possible to configure the synchronization to be one‑way only (i.e. that new emails from the server are added locally, but emails that are no longer present on the server are not deleted from the local Sent folder)?

-- Thunderbird 115.18.0 (32-bit) on Windows

Around early December 2025, right after a new Thunderbird release (I forget the exact version number), there was a change in Thunderbird’s behavior when I click on “Write new message” on Thunderbird’s jump list for its pinned icon on my Windows Taskbar.

In the past, Thunderbird would simply open the composition window by itself and I could get right to typing the new email.

Now, however, after the early-December release, when I click on the same jumplist shortcut, Thunderbird opens BOTH the composition window AND the main Thunderbird program window along with it.

Is there a setting (maybe in about:config?) where I can revert Thunderbird to only opening the composition window?

I have version 146 of Thunderbird. My OS is Windows 11. The Local Folders in Thunderbird are out of alphabetical order.

I have list of 130 local folders that are in the correct alphabetical order. Under that list, I have another list of 25 folders, starting with the letters L - U, that are in order alphabetically. I have tried to move several of them back up into their correct place in the list of 130 folders that are above them. This worked well for about 10 folders. Now, when I try to move a folder from the second set to its correct place in the group of 130 folders above them, they all end up in the same spot, between folders starting with De and Dra. When I try to move them away for this location, into their correct alphabetical slot, they will not move.

Also, when I try to create a New Subfolder under Local Folders, it is not created in the correct alphabetical location.

Does anyone know of an easy to correct these errors? I need to get my local folders in the correct order alphabetically again. Thank you.

Have 3 gmail accounts 1 icloud account all are appearing and working, but can't get unified inbox to display anything even though there are emails in all accounts.

I right clicked unified inbox properties and selected all 4 accounts and clicked ok then update. In box shows 0 email. I did shutdown and restart computer????

Below is version info

No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS Release: 24.04 Codename: noble

Thunderbird 140.6.0esr (64 bit)

Every eMail I get is now being marked as read when I move it to trash, including Spam, even if it is not read. I do not want this behavior. I did not change any settings. Thunderbird started doing this automatically, several days ago. I want everything that is unread to remain unread, ESPECIALLY Spam. I asked this question 8 months ago, but I have received no answers or support.