Select the Inbox in the folder pane before shutting down Thunderbird. Thunderbird remembers the session and opens with the Inbox the next time you start it. I have no idea what "Select INbox" does.

"Select Inbox" is an add-on. This is recommended in a forum but does not work consistently. Neither does the recommendation to select the Inbox in the folder pane before shutting down Thunderbird!

Add ons are created by 3rd party authors. You need to check with them for support with their software.

If you disable the questionable add on does Thunderbird open like you closed it? That is how it is designed to work without interference by some rogue software.

Other software that changes settings on closing is CCleaner or other registry cleaning software that likes to wipe out your preferences with various software.

There is another add-on that offers the option to "choose the default startup folder", plus other things:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/manually-sort-folders/

It claims to be compatible with TB 17-34, whereas Select Inbox is for TB 24 or earlier.

I don't know enough about TB or programming to understand this. I removed the old add-on and installed this one (below). But TB does not open to the Inbox. Can you please explain step by step what I am supposed to do when I install it?

Thanks.

sfhowes said

There is another add-on that offers the option to "choose the default startup folder", plus other things: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/manually-sort-folders/ It claims to be compatible with TB 17-34, whereas Select Inbox is for TB 24 or earlier.

Go into Tools/Add-ons/Extensions, click the add-on Options, and set the default folder as in the picture.

After I do what you suggest several times, eventually Thunderbird does open at the Inbox. But never right away.

But how can I make sure that TB remembers what to do? I can't rely on this approach. After my computer was turned off for around 8 hours, again TB did not open at the Inbox. My settings are never remembered.

Fiddling around with this is a huge waste of time!

If you have a program like CCleaner, it can erase TB settings between restarts.

I do not have any programs like Cleaner. Nevertheless, the TB settings are not remembered between restarts. Each time I have to go to Tools/Add-Ons, select the Add-On and go through all the settings several times! I have no idea why after I have done the same procedure 2 to 5 times TB then decides to open to the Inbox.

I still have this problem. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. This morning TB opened to the Inbox but I have little confidence that it will do that again.

In earlier post I already replied that I don't have CCleaner on my computer. I also have not downloaded any programs since I began to have this problem.

Now I wonder if the Intego Net Barrier and Virus Barrier could be having a negative influence. I've been using these for years and have not changed their settings in any way for years. If they could be the reason that the settings are erased between TB starts what should I do?

You can probably tell that I only use my computer and do not understand anything about programming, etc.! I need complete, step-by-step explanations for a computer dummy.

Thanks in advance.

If the problem returns or persists, I would suggest you try deleting the session.json file.

To do this you will need to make hidden files and folders visible:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Show_hidden_files_and_folders

In Thunderbird

• Help > Troubleshooting Information
• click on 'show Folder' button - a new window opens showing Profile folder.

• Close Thunderbird now - this is important

• Look for and delete this file: session.json
• Close window - top right X
• Restart Thunderbird.

The next time you are open on eg: Inbox and you close Thunderbird it should remember and use the last session.