This article describes Thunderbird channels available for Snap and Flatpak, changes that make it easier to choose your preferred channel, and provides instructions on how to install a channel build or move to a channel that is different from what you currently have installed.

If you received an announcement in Thunderbird pointing to this article, the purpose is to provide you with information about what is changing and how the changes may affect you.

Thunderbird channels

Thunderbird offers four channels: Release (also known as Monthly), ESR (annual major releases), Beta, and Daily. How to select a Thunderbird release channel has a full comparison of all four channels. Thunderbird ESR, Thunderbird Release, Thunderbird Beta, Thunderbird Daily describe each channel in more detail. If you are using Flatpak or Snap, please continue reading this article. Otherwise, please refer to the article Install Thunderbird on Linux.

Flatpak Beta changes in 2026

As of March 30, 2026, the application ID for the Beta channel at Flathub has changed from org.mozilla.Thunderbird to a new org.mozilla.thunderbird (all lower case). And you may have seen a notification in Thunderbird that “We're switching the flatpak beta application ID from org.mozilla.Thunderbird to org.mozilla.thunderbird”.

As a result:

• https://flathub.org/apps/org.mozilla.Thunderbird is changing to https://flathub.org/apps/org.mozilla.thunderbird.
• If you have been using Thunderbird Beta prior to March 30, 2026:
  • When you update, accounts and addons should not be affected.
  • Run flatpak update org.mozilla.Thunderbird as normal. Flatpak will ask whether you want to change to the new application ID, because Thunderbird release management has provided flatpak with the rebase information needed to move you to the new application ID.
    • If you respond Yes, no further action is needed. The application ID will have been updated and your future updates should be run with all lower case
      flatpak update org.mozilla.thunderbird.
    • If you respond No, then you will remain on Thunderbird 150.0b1 because the old org.mozilla.Thunderbird app ID will no longer receive updates. You will be prompted to update your Thunderbird app ID by future flatpak updates because this is a security risk to you.
• If you are installing Thunderbird Beta as a new user, there is no special action. Just be aware that you want to use the new application ID of org.mozilla.thunderbird. For installation instructions please refer to Install Thunderbird on Linux and Flathub instructions.