Join the Mozilla’s Test Days event from Dec 2–8 to test the new Firefox address bar on Firefox Beta 134 and get a chance to win Mozilla swag vouchers! 🎁

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Word processing tools (bold face, larger font, smaller font, indent, etc.)

  • 6 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Zenos

more options

On my desktop computer in Thunderbird, I have full capabilities for word processing with the toolbar. With it one can set different type fonts, font color,smaller font size, larger font size, bold, italic, underline, add or remove a bullet list, numbered list, out-dented text, indented text, text alignment (left, center, right, justify), insert a link, anchor, image, h.line or table, and insert a smiley face. Where can I find these functions. I cannot find these for my laptop computer. On the laptop there are basically no controls.

On my desktop computer in Thunderbird, I have full capabilities for word processing with the toolbar. With it one can set different type fonts, font color,smaller font size, larger font size, bold, italic, underline, add or remove a bullet list, numbered list, out-dented text, indented text, text alignment (left, center, right, justify), insert a link, anchor, image, h.line or table, and insert a smiley face. Where can I find these functions. I cannot find these for my laptop computer. On the laptop there are basically no controls.

Chosen solution

PROBLEM SOLVED A Big Ah-Ha! I got to thinking and tried <alt>-Write, and that won't work. BUT -- <Ctr>-Write did it! So I have solved the problem, thanks to "Airmail" and "Zenos" to get me thinking a little more about key combinations. Thanks again to the Mozilla Support Community.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (6)

more options

Either the toolbar is hidden, or you didn't set Thunderbird up on the laptop to compose using HTML.

In the message composition window, right-click on the titlebar. A pop-up menu should appear offering you toolbars. Tick them all.

Also, go to Account Settings and in the composition pane, tick the checkbox "Compose messages in HTML format".

more options

Either the toolbar is hidden, or you didn't set Thunderbird up on the laptop to compose using HTML. In the message composition window, right-click on the titlebar. A pop-up menu should appear offering you toolbars. Tick them all. Also, go to Account Settings and in the composition pane, tick the checkbox "Compose messages in HTML format". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I did what Zenos suggested (above) and nothing was changed. I have attached a screen print of an email I am writing Anyone else out there willing to suggest?

more options

You are composing in Plain Text just like Zenos suggested. There is no Insert or Format on your toolbar. That is indicative of a Plain Text message. If you hold the Shift key when clicking Write I bet all this items and the toolbar are back. Go to Account Settings like instructed above and turn HTML back on.

more options

I checked tools/account settings/composition & addressing and Compose messages in HMTL is, indeed, checked. I tried, again holding the shift key when clicking Write and nothing changed. Though when I tried the same procedure on my desktop computer, the Formatting Toolbar disappeared! Sigh! NOT pressing the Shift key brought the Formatting Toolbar back -- whew!

more options

Chosen Solution

PROBLEM SOLVED A Big Ah-Ha! I got to thinking and tried <alt>-Write, and that won't work. BUT -- <Ctr>-Write did it! So I have solved the problem, thanks to "Airmail" and "Zenos" to get me thinking a little more about key combinations. Thanks again to the Mozilla Support Community.

more options

You set each account to either use HTML by default or else plain text. The shift button trick simply toggles you temporarily to the alternative mode when you create a new message, or forward or reply to an existing one. But if you reply to a plain text message it may well select plain text mode for you, regardless of your own preference. There are add-ons to override this behaviour, though the shift key thing should still work.

Neither ctrl nor alt does it for me here using Windows 7; you may have some unconventional key bindings set up there.

I was going to ask if you were using a Mac, but that looks like Windows 8 or 10 to me. Distinctive ugly window controls. ;-)

Modified by Zenos