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Stop TB [ Thunderbird] from opening messages in new tab

  • 5 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 507 views
  • Last reply by JeffL

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When I open TB or when I click on a message, TB opens the message [or I guess, the first unread when opening] in a new tab. I want the behavior I previously had:

On opening - show inbox, do not open any message When I click on a message, open it in a new window. Escape exits, closing window. delete deletes message and closes window.

It would be nice if the focus were on the first message in inbox, but I have never had that.

Thank you.

I appreciate all the help I have gotten from Mozilla support. I think this is my first question about TB.

Best wishes, ral

When I open TB or when I click on a message, TB opens the message [or I guess, the first unread when opening] in a new tab. I want the behavior I previously had: On opening - show inbox, do not open any message When I click on a message, open it in a new window. Escape exits, closing window. delete deletes message and closes window. It would be nice if the focus were on the first message in inbox, but I have never had that. Thank you. I appreciate all the help I have gotten from Mozilla support. I think this is my first question about TB. Best wishes, ral

Chosen solution

From the Menu Bar select Tools-Options-Display-Advanced

From the AppMenu button hover over Options and select Options-Display-Advanced

Select Open messages in a New Window

It takes a double click to open a message in a tab or window. If you have the Messages Pane turned on a single click will display the message there. F8 toggles the Message Pane on and off.

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All Replies (5)

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It's somewhere under Tools|Options in the traditional menu. I'm afraid I don't have Thunderbird here with me to check.

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I do not know how to edit, so I'll post a clarification. I said: "It would be nice if the focus were on the first message in inbox, but I have never had that. " I mean on opening TB. Thank you.

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Zenos said

It's somewhere under Tools|Options in the traditional menu. I'm afraid I don't have Thunderbird here with me to check.

The only thing I can find in tools/options is "[ ] When TB launches show the start window in the message pane [url]".

Thanks.

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Chosen Solution

From the Menu Bar select Tools-Options-Display-Advanced

From the AppMenu button hover over Options and select Options-Display-Advanced

Select Open messages in a New Window

It takes a double click to open a message in a tab or window. If you have the Messages Pane turned on a single click will display the message there. F8 toggles the Message Pane on and off.

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After 30 frustrating minutes, I finally see the problem.

When you go to Tools-Options-Display, there are 3 tabs under the options icons. If you happen to be on Formatting tab, you will see an Advanced to the right of Fonts and Colors. Duh! That's for advance options for Fonts and colors. Take a look at those 3 tabs again. The 3rd tab is the one you want. Click on that and you will see 3 radio buttons for Open Messages in:

The first one if for opening in a tab, the second is for a new window (for each message you open), the 3rd is for one new message window (with all opened messages going into that one new window).