What's the Best Way to Get Clear, Bold Text, Throughout Thunderbird?
Much of Thunderbird is too small, too faint, or in fonts that are too hard for me to read.
I've found some user css that helps with some of that. It helps with the headers and lists. But it doesn't affect message contents, even in plain text mode, or settings.
Okay, so why don't I just use the built-in font settings? Because:
1. There are different settings for different parts of the interface, and it can be hard to predict how they'll interact.
2. I need to increase the size of most text, not all. I don't want or need to increase the sizes of some larger text. I don't have enough screen space for it either.
3. I need to increase the *weight* of most text. There's a fad for thin "elegant" fonts, and I just can't read these. I currently use css to make headers bold, and make unread headers red for contrast.
4. I often need to change the fonts, too. Thunderbird seems to use the "Other Writing Systems" for message contents, which is a pain, because I need to use that for another writing system, too.
All Replies (14)
I have used these settings for several years and they may address your needs. With control of font, preferred size, and minimum size, it works well for me. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1462509
If you are not already familiar with the options under the "View" menu (density, zoom, font size), you'll want to become familiar with them too.
When you are switching fonts in general settings, make sure to switch in two places: Latin and other writing systems.
As I mentioned, I need Other Writing Systems for another writing system that I use. So unless I can find a font that 1. is readable, and 2. supports *all* the writing systems that I use, it's not going to work.
Okay, rechecking Density, Zoom, and Font Size under View.
I need to keep font size up. But I need both readable fonts *and* readable font sizes. Even at 30px, the default fonts are thin, hard to tell apart, and hard for me to read.
I already use the other font settings, they don't fix the message lists, settings, etc.
And combining reasonable font sizes in both sets of settings results in much larger font sizes in message panes.
You may know what's here already: https://kb.mozillazine.org/Pane_and_menu_fonts
That page refers to: https://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=362520#362520 https://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=1888526#1888526 https://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=1899617#1899617 https://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=338238
If you're using CSS already, and you know how to set message body fonts, and you know about density, zoom, and font size in the View menu, you may already know about all the tools available. I don't know if anything can be done with fonts in the config editor that cannot be done through the user interface. You could see for yourself by going to the config editor in general settings and typing "font" in the search bar.
Do you need recommendations for thicker typefaces? What operating system are you on?
I set up global fonts, and they aren't global any more. I don't know how to set up specific message body fonts. I don't know much of anything about programming, except specific bits and pieces to try to solve some of my accessibility problems. (Animation, more animation,, smoother animation, fonts, smaller fonts, thinner fonts, etc.)
/* Global UI font */
- { font-family: Andika !important; }
- { font-size: 12pt !important; }
- {font-weight: bolder !important;}
And yes
/* Distinguish Unread Messages, based on https://support.mozilla.org/mk/questions/1440879 */
- threadTree tr[data-properties~="unread"] {
color: red !important; }
I'm trying
/* Message Pane */
- messagepane {margin-left: 60pt !important;
font-weight: bolder !important;} }
- {
font-family: Andika !important; font-size: 12pt !important; font-weight: bolder !important; }
#threadTree tr[data-properties~="unread"] {
color: red !important;
}
The bullet is supposed to be an asterisk.
Ed modificouno o
MarjaE said
Sorry, but that doesn't work either; message text still isn't bold.
Marja, did you use an asterisk in place of Ed's bullet?
Yes. And I used an asterisk before.
Now Thunderbird has deleted my userChrome.css. I have backup versions, but they're not for Windows, so they don't need to bolden fonts to make them readable.
MarjaE said
Sorry, but that doesn't work either; message text still isn't bold.
That code only changes the interface. To change the font for messages, do what David mentioned:
- go to TB menu > Settings > General > Language & Fonts > Fonts > click 'Advanced' button
- at the top, set 'Fonts for:' to Latin if it isn't already
- change Proportional and Monospace fonts/sizes to your liking
- set Minimum font size to what you want
- at the top, change set 'Fonts for:' to Other Writing Systems
- repeat the process of changing fonts/sizes
- at the bottom, make sure 'Allow messages to use other fonts' is disabled if desired > OK > close the popup
- set TB menu > Settings > Composition > HTML Style to Variable Width and Medium font
That doesn't address problems 3 and 4. I've filed bug reports for both.
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1991340
[Thunderbird Readability on Windows]
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1989718
[Distinguish Other Writing Systems from Default Writing System]
Between them, I'd like consistent weight for each writing system, and it's hard to find reliably heavy fonts for some writing systems.
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