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Install Thunderbird on Linux
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This article will show you how to install Thunderbird on Linux.
This article will show you how to install Thunderbird on Linux.
Content:
This article will show you how to install Thunderbird on Linux. For other operating systems, see [[Installing Thunderbird on Windows]] and [[Installing Thunderbird on Mac]].
Many Linux distributions include Thunderbird by default, and most have a package management system that enables you to easily install Thunderbird. Generally, you should install from the package management system, because it will:
*Ensure that you have all the required libraries
*Install Thunderbird in a way that works best with your distribution
*Create shortcuts to launch Thunderbird
*Make Thunderbird available to all users of your computer
*Make removing Thunderbird work the same as removing any other application
Package management also has some disadvantages:
*It may not give you the latest version of Thunderbird
*It may give you a version without Thunderbird branding
= Installing from a package manager =
To install Thunderbird using the package manager, please refer to the documentation of the Linux distribution you're using.
= Installing outside of a package manager =
Complete instructions for installing Thunderbird outside of package management may be available at your distribution's support website. For example:
* [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ThunderbirdNewVersion Installing Thunderbird on Ubuntu]
{note}
* '''Before you install Thunderbird''', make sure that your computer has the ''' [https://www.mozilla.org/thunderbird/system-requirements/ required libraries]''' installed. Missing libraries will cause Thunderbird to be inoperable.
* The installation file provided by Mozilla in '''.tar.bz2''' format does not contain sources but pre-compiled binary files, therefore you can simply unpack and run them. There is no need to compile the program from source.
* The following instructions will install Thunderbird into your home directory, and '''only the current user''' will be able to '''run it'''.{/note}
# Download Thunderbird from [https://www.mozilla.org/thunderbird/ the Thunderbird download page] to your home directory.
# Open a '''Terminal''' and go to your home directory: <code>cd ~</code>
# Extract the contents of the downloaded file: <code>tar xjf thunderbird-*.tar.bz2</code>
# Close Thunderbird if it's open.
# To start Thunderbird, run the {filepath thunderbird} script in the {filepath thunderbird} folder: <code>~/thunderbird/thunderbird</code>
Thunderbird should now start. You can then create a launcher on your desktop to run this command.
== libstdc++5 error ==
As noted above, you need to install the [https://www.mozilla.org/thunderbird/system-requirements/ required libraries] for Thunderbird to work. Many distributions don't include libstdc++5 by default.
== "Thunderbird not installed" message or wrong version of Thunderbird starts ==
If Thunderbird is installed following the instructions given above, it must be started (in a '''Terminal''' or in a launcher on the Desktop, for example) using the command: <code>~/thunderbird/thunderbird</code>
If you try to start Thunderbird in a '''Terminal''' with the command: <code>thunderbird</code>, it will either start the package-manager-installed version of Thunderbird or will tell you the program is not installed.
This article will show you how to install Thunderbird on Linux. For other operating systems, see [[Installing Thunderbird on Windows]] and [[Installing Thunderbird on Mac]].
Many Linux distributions include Thunderbird by default, and most have a package management system that enables you to easily install Thunderbird. Generally, you should install from the package management system, because it will:
*Ensure that you have all the required libraries
*Install Thunderbird in a way that works best with your distribution
*Create shortcuts to launch Thunderbird
*Make Thunderbird available to all users of your computer
*Make removing Thunderbird work the same as removing any other application
Package management also has some disadvantages:
*It may not give you the latest version of Thunderbird
*It may give you a version without Thunderbird branding
= Installing from a package manager =
To install Thunderbird using the package manager, please refer to the documentation of the Linux distribution you're using.
= Installing outside of a package manager =
Complete instructions for installing Thunderbird outside of package management may be available at your distribution's support website. For example:
* [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ThunderbirdNewVersion Installing Thunderbird on Ubuntu]
{note}
* '''Before you install Thunderbird''', make sure that your computer has the ''' [https://www.mozilla.org/thunderbird/system-requirements/ required libraries]''' installed. Missing libraries will cause Thunderbird to be inoperable.
* The installation file provided by Mozilla in '''.tar.bz2''' format does not contain sources but pre-compiled binary files, therefore you can simply unpack and run them. There is no need to compile the program from source.
* The following instructions will install Thunderbird into your home directory, and '''only the current user''' will be able to '''run it'''.{/note}
# Download Thunderbird from [https://www.mozilla.org/thunderbird/ the Thunderbird download page] to your home directory.
# Open a '''Terminal''' and go to your home directory: <code>cd ~</code>
# Extract the contents of the downloaded file: <code>tar xjf thunderbird-*.tar.bz2</code>
# Close Thunderbird if it's open.
# To start Thunderbird, run the {filepath thunderbird} script in the {filepath thunderbird} folder: <code>~/thunderbird/thunderbird</code>
Thunderbird should now start. You can then create a launcher on your desktop to run this command.
== libstdc++5 error ==
As noted above, you need to install the [https://www.thunderbird.net/thunderbird/60.0/system-requirements/ required libraries] for Thunderbird to work. Many distributions don't include libstdc++5 by default.
== "Thunderbird not installed" message or wrong version of Thunderbird starts ==
If Thunderbird is installed following the instructions given above, it must be started (in a '''Terminal''' or in a launcher on the Desktop, for example) using the command: <code>~/thunderbird/thunderbird</code>
If you try to start Thunderbird in a '''Terminal''' with the command: <code>thunderbird</code>, it will either start the package-manager-installed version of Thunderbird or will tell you the program is not installed.