Join us to show up for other Firefox users 🦊. Earn fun badges and Mozilla swag vouchers! Find out more: https://mzl.la/askafox150

Windows 10 reached EOS (end of support) on October 14, 2025. If you are on Windows 10, see this article.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Emails frequently reverting to ascending order when I've set ascending order

  • 3 replies
  • 6 have this problem
  • 160 views
  • Last reply by Garthowen
  • Konponduta

I like all of my email listings (inbox, folders etc) to be listed in chronologically descending order (ie most recent at top).

So I set 'Sort By' in 'View' accordingly to 'Descending Order' for each listing. No problem.

But, when I haven't accessed a folder for a while I find the listing has gone back to the default of 'Ascending Order'.

Most frustrating. What can I do to properly lock in my choice?

I like all of my email listings (inbox, folders etc) to be listed in chronologically descending order (ie most recent at top). So I set 'Sort By' in 'View' accordingly to 'Descending Order' for each listing. No problem. But, when I haven't accessed a folder for a while I find the listing has gone back to the default of 'Ascending Order'. Most frustrating. What can I do to properly lock in my choice?

Chosen solution

Very many thanks ZG.........I've reset according to your clear directions. [Incidentally, I assume, from what you said, that the new default will take effect for new folders only - not any exisiting folders that show ascending order which I will have to sort manually. Thanks again...

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (3)

APOLOGIES: Title of query should read: Emails frequently reverting to ascending order when I've set DESCENDING order

I don't know why it gets back to ascending after some time, but i know how to set descending by default.

Tools / options / advanced / settings editor change mailnews.default_sort_order from 1 to 2 then you get descending by default for every new folder. I do this after every TB installation :) Hope it helps.

Modified by Zbigniew Gralewski BITBACK

Chosen Solution

Very many thanks ZG.........I've reset according to your clear directions. [Incidentally, I assume, from what you said, that the new default will take effect for new folders only - not any exisiting folders that show ascending order which I will have to sort manually. Thanks again...