Quit Thunderbird then relaunch it in safe mode by holding Shift when starting it. See if the compose window behaves normally.

Stans Thank you for your prompt reply to my dilemma. My interpretation of your instruction was to un-install Thunderbird, and then via a restore point, to re-install Thunderbird 78 again. Doing that I did not come across a safe mode alternative, and the problem remains. In the meantime, I have found that my (mouse) cursor is working normally on my laptop, except, as stated, it is not available (or has dis-appeared) within my email message pane. In addition, I have realised that also following the Thunderbird 78 upgrade, that although I am receiving incoming emails, the text is missing from the body of the email message, although links/logos are left visible, where they should be within the message. Eric Walker

My interpretation of your instruction was to un-install Thunderbird, and then via a restore point, to re-install Thunderbird 78 again. Doing that I did not come across a safe mode alternative, and the problem remains.

I'm afraid you went way off the mark. I did not mention uninstalling/reinstalling Tbird nor restore points. Thunderbird has a safe mode, which you access by holding down the Shift key on your keyboard while you double-click the Thunderbird desktop icon to launch it. When the taskbar icon appears, release the Shift key and you'll see a small prompt with the option to continue to safe mode. See Troubleshoot Mode Thunderbird for details.

Pardon my ignorance having never used safe mode before. I have now circumnavigated that part....but unfortunately the problems are still there.

Post a screenshot of Thunderbird’s main window, showing the threads pane and reading pane, with an open message showing the display anomaly, and another showing the compose window anomaly. Also, is the mouse cursor visible everywhere else on Thunderbird’s interface?

For help with posting a screenshot, see How do I create a screenshot of my problem?

Stans I have been able to gather together the 2 screenshots requested. But I dont know how to get them to you.....can't include it into this pane, and the email communication that links me to you, comes from no-reply@mozilla.org. The cursor is active in other ways........the incoming article that has text missing (except links/logos) from Bloomberg....I have just found I can read if I right click on mouse.......then select print preview....and there it is. I have now unearthed another problem, copies of personal emails I have previously sent and kept, have no text showing in the message pane BUT again if I right click and enter print preview, all is there.

If it is of interest, going back to the start of all this, I had the problem where the background was in dark mode and could not be altered, this I solved via the community (Kaddath) guiding me to alter the 'config editor'.

The only other thing that goes bump in the night is that one of the screenshots I have made has popped up within one of my Excel files! This comes from United KIngdom in case that has a bearing on anything. Regards Eric

As an experiment I have sent myself a message ...I am unable to see what I am sending ...I am also unable to see anything in the incoming email ...but by right clicking in the incoming message pane

   and selecting print preview I am able to read my message.

To post the screenshot, use the Browse button below the reply box at the bottom of this page.

Have noticed that Firefox upgrade version 79.0 has gone through at 11.00am

You cannot see anything because the colour of the font is white on a white background. Try changing the colour of the font.

• Close all opened 'Write' windows.

• Menu app icon (It has 3 horizontal lines) > Options > Composition

Under 'HTML Style'

• Do not select checkbox 'Use Readers default colours'
• Click on 'Text colour' coloured square and select a better colour eg: a blue or black
• click on OK

It also sounds like you can download emails and see them in the Thread Pane, but when you select them there is no content displaying.

Please do the following and be sure to do exactly as written below: In Thunderbird

• Menu app icon (It has 3 horizontal lines) > Help > Troubleshooting Information
• click on 'Open Folder' button

a new window opens showing contents of profile name folder

• Exit Thunderbird now - close the program - this is important.
• Delete this file : xulstore.json

Start Thunderbird.

This should sort out all those emails with no content.

Toad-Hall Thank you for the guidance on my 2 problems. ....The changing of the colour of the font was spot on. thank you for that. ....But, unfortunately the 2nd answer has not worked.

   I followed your prompting to the letter, which was quite straightforward, but to no avail.
   In making sure there was no ambiguity creeping in, I deleted file xulstore  29/07/2020 19.06 json  2KB
   first by the via the delete button on my laptop keyboard. Then I tried highlighting the file >right click on mouse >and used that delete button................neither action worked. Each time offending file was still in the profile  name folder. Then I resorted to closing down all open other files, and once I had followed your precise
   instructions I then closed the laptop totally down, and then started the laptop up again, file still there within contents.
  As a sample, I looked at 3 sub files where I have been corresponding with friends and had previously saved.
  Going backwards, within the 1st file looked at 19 messages before I got to content showing  and that was 
  17th Dec 2019. The next file went back 3 messages until 30th Mar 2020, and the final file went back 10 
  messages until 2nd June 2020.

The important fact was to exit Thunderbird before deleting the xulstore.json file. After deleting that file and restarting Thunderbird, a new xulstore.json would have been created. So the fact you could still see that file is expected. It was basically refreshed.

OK. Let's try again, the info you are giving sounds like it is not all the emails, just older ones. There is another file that could be effecting the display, so it is worth seeing if it needs a refresh as well. It may well be worth rebuilding the global database at the same time.

In Thunderbird

• Menu app icon (It has 3 horizontal lines) > Help > Troubleshooting Information
• click on 'Open Folder' button

a new window opens showing contents of profile name folder

• Exit Thunderbird now - close the program - this is important.
• Delete this file : panacea.dat
• Delete this file : global-messages-db.sqlite

Start Thunderbird.

I have again meticulously followed your instructions, but regret to say still the problem. All recent emails going backwards (time-wise) from now until 17/12/2019 in example 1, 30/03/2020 in example 2, and 02/06/2020 have not had the invisible text re-materialised.

Unfortunately also, the other font issue has not fully answered that problem either. In being able to send an email again, I sent an email last night to a friend........no problems with that. But his reply came back with his answer not visible, and, in addition, the previous 4 threads in the conversation, weren't there either, until it got back to the original comment that started off the conversation, which was there. I have noticed though, if I had wanted to reply back to him, by hitting 'reply' everything was there.

I'm afraid the problem is still unresolved.

What version of Thunderbird are you using ? Version 78.0.1 had an issue with displaying emails because there was basically white font on white background or black font on black background.

This issue was fixed in version 78.1.0 and now 78.1.1 has been released. Have you updated?

Are you using Windows OS or MAC or Linux?

I can confirm that the Thunderbird system automatically installed 78.1.0 on my laptop on Aug 1st and then on Aug 7th installed 78.1.1 Windows spec Edition Windows 10 Home.......Version 1909.......Installed 15/06/2019......OS build 18363.959 Thanks again

Thunderbird is currently not updating any version of 68* to a version 78*. Version 68.10.0 would get updated by Thunderbird to 68.11.0

If your computer auto updated a version of 68 to a version of 78, then it was not Thunderbird. It is likely you have another piece of installed Updater Software doing this. If this is the case then I strongly recommend you do not allow Updater Software to update anything to do with Thunderbird. Only allow Thunderbird to perform it's own updates.

However, if you unstalled a version of 68 and then downloaded and installed a version of 78, then Thunderbird would update to eg: 78.1.1

re : Edition Windows 10 Home.......Version 1909.

What is the default system display mode and what is the default system app mode setting on computer ? Settings > Personalisation > Colours Choose your colour: click on drop down and select 'Custom' It will now allow you to select 'default Windows mode' and 'default app mode' as Light or Dark. I have both set to Dark, what do you have set up for these options ?

In Thunderbird Addons > themes You will have Light, Dark and a default theme with operating colout scheme. What have you got selected ?

In Options > General scroll down to Language & Appearance Fonts & Colours Click on 'Colours'..button

Uncheck the checkbox for 'Use system colours' 'Override the colours specified by the content with my selections above' - select 'Only with High contrast themes' or 'Never'. click on OK Post image showing what you got selected.

Answer to message timed Aug 10th 2020 2:10:42 above If I access Thunderbird (Th) >options >updates >allow Th to.....set to automatically install updates, as far as I am concerned no other functions have control of the Th updates. In addition, I don't think I have unstalled a version of 68 and then downloaded and installed a version of 78, then etc. But, with this on-going exercise, before I found the Mozilla support facility (with its documented actions) I may have been prompted to do that by something like FAQ's (I don't know). I have not kept any notes.

If it helps, I have looked at the Th Update history which is accessible:- Th 68.5.0 (20200210021035) Feb 12 2020 2:18:04 PM. Details link > Th Release Notes, which itemises automatic update from Th version 60. Th 68.6.0 (20200310192757) Mar 13 2020 8:06:14 AM. Details link > as above for 68.5.0 Th 68.7.0 (20200407160932) Apr 13th 2020 8:52:57 AM. Details link > as above for 68.5.0 Th 68.8.0 (20200504155042) May 7th 2020 12:5 7:05PM. Details link > as above for 68.5.0 Th 68.8.1 (20200521175255) May 25th 2020 7:24:04 PM. Details link > as above for 68.5.0 Th 68.9.0 (20200602112704) Jun 7th 2020 1:38:33 PM. Details link > as above for 68.5.0 Th 68.10.0 (20200629235513) July 1st 2020 8:01:12 AM. Details link > as above for 68.5.0 Th 78.0.1 (20200720112654) July 22nd 2020 8:45:10 PM. Details link > Th Release Notes. Th version 78 is only offered as a direct download from thunderbird.net, and not as an upgrade from Thunderbird version 68 or earlier. Th 78.1.0 (20200729211652) Aug 1st 2020 7:09:32 PM. Details link > as above for 78.0.01 Th 78.1.1 (20200850033102) Aug 7th 2020 7:32:50 PM. Details link > as above for 78.0.1.

Please note I will have leave off replying to your other message until tomorrow night, it is late now.

answer to your message Aug 10 2020 2:25:20 AM Further to your instructions on how to enter the default system display mode, both of my default Windows and default app modes are set on Dark. Thunderbird Addons set to........ enabled is the default selection, Dark is disabled as is Light. With regard to your final query I did not need to change anything. I don't know how to post an image, but in longhand what is showing is :-

                                                                        Colors

Text & background Link Colors text white chosen unvisited links royal blue chosen background white chosen visited links royal blue chosen

use system colors - unchecked underline links - checked override the colors specified by the content with my selection above. Box shows Only with High Contrast themes.