I have downloaded a dictionary from your list but windows 10 wants to know what app to open it with
I needed a spell checker for my email but there was no dictionary listed. I selected 'more dictionaries' ,which took me to a download site. I selected the English Dictionary and I pressed the green download button and the dictionary was downloaded. Every time I try to open the dictionary I get a windows 10 message box asking me to select an App to open the dictionary (Open with prompt). What App do I need to open the dictionary and get Thunderbird to recognise it as my spell checking dictionary? Also, I can't understand why Thunderbird does not look at my dictionary already installed, the one that has just corrected me when writing this message. Something is wrong and I'm on the verge of going back to Microsoft if I can't resolve this matter.
Why didn't you supply the app that I needed when I installed Thunderbird in the first place?
Chosen solution
Did you download an xpi file?
The instructions break at the point where it says "add to Thunderbird". Instead, I see "download now". Download the offered file and make a note of where it is (usually your Downloads folder.) Right-click|Save As is useful to allow you to take control of where it is saved when you download it.
Don't ask Windows to open it. It is a Thunderbird extension, and there is no earthly reason for Windows (or any other operating system) to know what to do with it.
When you have an xpi file, there are two easy ways to install it into Thunderbird.
Start by opening Thunderbird's Tools|Add-ons|Extensions. Then, either:
- Drag and drop the xpi file onto that Thunderbird page, or:
- Click the button next to the search box, select "install from file", navigate to your xpi file and select it.
All Replies (4)
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-install-and-use-another-language-dictionary
Only a few locales that you can download from https://www.thunderbird.net/thunderbird/all/ comes with a dictionary due to license reasons.
You didn't read my problem properly. I can't get MS Windows 10 to open the downloaded dictionary. I don't get any 'Add to thunderbird' button. All I get is a message asking me to select an app to open the dictionary. Before you reply make note I have scrolled through the internet looking for a solution. The answer you have given is the same old answer that I have already received. It doesn't work, because I don't know what App I need to use to open the downloaded dictionary, that windows 10 is asking for. Please go back and read my previous question, Start with the title, that will put you on the right track.
Chosen Solution
Did you download an xpi file?
The instructions break at the point where it says "add to Thunderbird". Instead, I see "download now". Download the offered file and make a note of where it is (usually your Downloads folder.) Right-click|Save As is useful to allow you to take control of where it is saved when you download it.
Don't ask Windows to open it. It is a Thunderbird extension, and there is no earthly reason for Windows (or any other operating system) to know what to do with it.
When you have an xpi file, there are two easy ways to install it into Thunderbird.
Start by opening Thunderbird's Tools|Add-ons|Extensions. Then, either:
- Drag and drop the xpi file onto that Thunderbird page, or:
- Click the button next to the search box, select "install from file", navigate to your xpi file and select it.
Thank you, but it wasn't easy. For a start whenever I right clicked on the downloaded dictionary I just go a message "Report this Download" or something similar. There was no chance to save the file as anything. I eventually managed to make all the windows smaller so that they would fit on the screen together side by side, then I was able to drag and drop the downloaded dictionary onto the Add-ons/Extensions page and at last I have it working. Since it is a Thunderbird file, I still cannot understand why I had to do this. Why can't it find its own way to the Extensions page when downloaded, instead of the download page?
Anyway thanks, I wouldn't have gone back to MS Edge, a hollow threat, Thunderbird is just too good and I've been using it for years, it's just this windows 10 upgrade that put the spanner in the works.