TB 68 uses the operating system's color picker, but it requires a step to access all the colors. In the attached picture, clicking the 'Choose a color:' box on the left displays the Color window on the right (W10). Move the slider on the right edge up from the bottom and then click on any part of the rainbow box, until you find the desired color.

Thanks! Don't appreciate the new approach & wish I could have the window come up without clicking, but it's a solution. Appreciate!

persistent said

I assume it's about the updates but haven't found reference. Now the "choices" are default black or Typing in a "color". I use colors for ongoing conversational emails- the readability of the color is important as well as choice. I also write messages akin to greeting cards to recipients wherein I use color varieties. How do I replace the new font color choice with the old?

Thank you sfhowes for this reply. But strangely I can't have it working on my Mac... The colour I choose in the system colour picker cannot be applied to the text... ??? See attached screen copy: clicking OK does NOT select the brown color I had selected.

Any help will be appreciated!

According to this bug report, a workaround is to 'first close the Mac color picker'.

Try that and report on the outcome, as I don't have a Mac.

Thank you for this tip, sfhowes. It works indeed fine if I close the Mac color picker before clicking OK. This proces is not user-friendly, but I can at least survive. Hopefully a patch will come some day. Thanks anyway!

All the above ideas do NOT work for me in Tbird 68.3.1! Previously, everything worked fine. BUT, this upgrade is hopeless. No matter what technique I try, I am unable to change the colors ..background as well as text. I'm on OS X Yosemite 10.10.5

I tried the solution offered by "sfhowes", but it is NOT a satisfactory solution. I believe it is the duty of Mozilla, to correct this program aspect, given that color changing is a MAJOR part of our activities with text matters.

What's the point of REDUCING such a fantastic function of an application?? No Charm!!

This "workaround" does not work on the mac. There isn't a "Windows color picker". I tried all the color combinations using the color widget that appears in TB, but none work.

I've reproduced this TB font color bug on three macs running two OS's (10.15.2 and 10.14.6).

sfhowes said

TB 68 uses the operating system's color picker, but it requires a step to access all the colors. In the attached picture, clicking the 'Choose a color:' box on the left displays the Color window on the right (W10). Move the slider on the right edge up from the bottom and then click on any part of the rainbow box, until you find the desired color.

I don't get that slider window on my Mac cptr

Firefox said

This "workaround" does not work on the mac. There isn't a "Windows color picker". I tried all the color combinations using the color widget that appears in TB, but none work. I've reproduced this TB font color bug on three macs running two OS's (10.15.2 and 10.14.6).

YEP, I AGREE .. DOES NOT WORK ON A MAC!! and, ?WHAT is this stupidity of changing something that works sooo perfectly for everyone!!?? So hopeless!

Ananda70 said

sfhowes said

TB 68 uses the operating system's color picker, but it requires a step to access all the colors. In the attached picture, clicking the 'Choose a color:' box on the left displays the Color window on the right (W10). Move the slider on the right edge up from the bottom and then click on any part of the rainbow box, until you find the desired color.

I don't get that slider window on my Mac cptr

The picture posted above from a Mac shows a slider underneath the colored circle. I think that's the equivalent of the slider that appears on the right side of the Windows color picker.

If you wish to bring this issue to the attention of the TB developers, I recommend you add your comments and vote to the bug report cited above.

Dear all, I just made a short video, showing how I can use font colour in TB 68.3.1 on my MacBook Pro (MacOS Catalina). https://drive.google.com/file/d/17kVlJO-r_i6Pg_j0kEZPmQ44NyDyDt7M/view?usp=sharing In the video I have chosen an alternate way of picking the colour (I don't like so much the colour circle): it works anyway. I agree it's not user-friendly, but it works. Good luck

HI Gerard, It worked once, I think .. but then ... no luck. font just remains black

Why is no one KICKING MOZILLA'S butt to give back to us .. THE coloring system which already worked so nicely??

This behavior on their part is total BS!

Old saying .. "if it ain't broke, then don't fix it!!"

I'm still with Yosemite 10.10.5 Perhaps that's why these suggestions don't work for me.

Can I UN-install this new version ...TB 68.3.1, and go back to Thunderbird version 60? life would be simpler! thanks!

You can uninstall 68 and install 60, but you may not find it simple, as it will be necessary to start TB with the --allow-downgrade command line parameter. It might be easier to upgrade your OS X, unless your hardware doesn't allow it.

BIG Thanks! Where and how to do this ...

start TB with the --allow-downgrade command line parameter.

Launch Terminal and enter:

/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird -profilemanager --allow-downgrade

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_manager#Mac_OS_X

When the Profile Manager window appears, select your profile and check the box to start it by default.

does nothing. All I get is the firefox "choose user Profile" thing. It says: create, name, or delete! or start Firefox! So, what to do? and whatever I do, does nothing