Message background and font color changed on its own
The message background and font colors -- blue and white, respectively -- changed without my doing anything during my last Thunderbird session. Now, in the reply area, there's a white background with white font. I can only see text I write if I select it. The message I'm replying to is visible.
I looked up instructions to change the settings to blue background with white text, but it doesn't work.
Can anyone offer any suggestions? Do I need to reinstall Thunderbird?
Thanks, David
الحل المُختار
No idea what my correspondents see -- because *I* see white text on white background (which makes my drafts invisible)
What you use in 'Write' window to compose email is not necessarilly the same as you would see when you select 'Drafts' folder and click on a draft message to see content in Message Pane. Reading and Writing are separate but you can set Reading conditions to be used when writing.
You have mentioned wanting to use White text on blue background - highly unusual, but do you want to read all incoming plain text messages in the same way using white text on blue background ? That could have weird results.
I've provided several options so read them carefully because it is about just setting up one part.
If you want to read plain text incoming mail (which has no html coding) to use a BLUE coloured font on white background and you want to create new Write' messages with a BLUE coloured font on white background then do the following:
'BOTH plain text you read and messages you Write use BLUE font on White background
- Menu app icon (3 lines) > Preferences
- select 'General'
- Scroll to 'Language & Appearance'
- click on 'Colours'
- Text = Blue
- Background = white
- uncheck - do not select 'Use System colours'
- 'Override the colours....' select 'Never'
- Click on OK
- Select 'Composition'
- Font: Variable Width' and Size: Medium
It is best not to change those as it will allow the recipient to use preferred font and size.
- Select checkbox 'Use reader's default colours'
This means it will use the settings you set up in 'General' > 'Language & Appearance' section. This is a good option because you are not including anything in HTML code, so recipient can choose what they prefer.
If you want to read plain text incoming mail (which has no html coding) to use a BLACK coloured font and you want to create new Write' messages with a BLUE coloured font then do the following:
Incoming plain text you read is BLACK and messages you Write use BLUE
- Menu app icon (3 lines) > Preferences
- select 'General'
- Scroll to 'Language & Appearance'
- click on 'Colours'
- Text = Black
- Background = white
- uncheck - do not select 'Use System colours'
- 'Override the colours....' select 'Never'
- Click on OK
- Select 'Composition'
- Font: Variable Width' and Size: Medium
It is best not to change those as it will allow the recipient to use preferred font and size.
- uncheck /do not select checkbox 'Use reader's default colours'
When you uncheck that checkbox you get access to set Text and Background.
- Set Text Colour: Blue
- Set Background Colour: White.
This means if you send using both Plain Text and HTML you will be sending the email with some html coding. If recipient views using Original HTML, they will see Blue text on white Background. If they use Simple HTML or Plain Text they will see Black text on White background or whatever setting they have set up as preference. So if you are choosing a colour in this section - please make sure you are sending using: either only Plain Text - to remove your preferences, so not forcing them on others. OR Plain Text AND HTML, so people have a choice of view.
'BOTH plain text you read and messages you Write use White font on Blue background
- Menu app icon (3 lines) > Preferences
- select 'General'
- Scroll to 'Language & Appearance'
- click on 'Colours'
- Text = white
- Background = Blue
- uncheck - do not select 'Use System colours'
- 'Override the colours....' select 'Never'
- Click on OK
- Select 'Composition'
- Font: Variable Width' and Size: Medium
It is best not to change those as it will allow the recipient to use preferred font and size.
- Select checkbox 'Use reader's default colours'
This means it will use the settings you set up in 'General' > 'Language & Appearance' section.
This could have a dreadful effect on your received messages. Some people send emails assuming the recipient has a default white background, so may set a text colour but not a background colour. Basically some emails may become unreadible.
If you want to read plain text incoming mail (which has no html coding) to use a BLACK coloured font on white background and you want to create new Write' messages with a WHITE coloured font on BLUE background then do the following:
- Menu app icon (3 lines) > Preferences
- select 'General'
- Scroll to 'Language & Appearance'
- click on 'Colours'
- Text = Black
- Background = white
- uncheck - do not select 'Use System colours'
- 'Override the colours....' select 'Never'
- Click on OK
- Select 'Composition'
- Font: Variable Width' and Size: Medium
It is best not to change those as it will allow the recipient to use preferred font and size.
- uncheck /do not select checkbox 'Use reader's default colours'
When you uncheck that checkbox you get access to set Text and Background.
- Set Text Colour: White
- Set Background Colour: Blue.
This means recipient will see (assuming they use standard black on white): white text on blue background if sent as HTML and viewed as Original HTML. Black text on White background if sent as Plain Text. white text on White background if sent as HTML but using Simple HTML to view. So it is important you send using PlainText only or Plain TExt and HTML.
Read this answer in context 👍 1All Replies (4)
yeah, setting a font colour in email is a really bad idea. What you are seeing now is probably what your correspondents see when you email them.
As you do not say what you did, I can not comment of their accuracy. But if you are complaining there is no options, they are called preferences now.
No idea what my correspondents see -- because *I* see white text on white background (which makes my drafts invisible) -- I've been using the on-line portal to send and receive mail. (My provider just switched to MS Outlook.)
As I noted in my message, I didn't do anything. It just seems to have happened.
And, no I am not complaining there are no options. What I'm saying is that going to Preferences>Composition and changing the text color makes no difference. Neither does changing the colors using the ribbon at the top of a message.
Finally, not sure why it's a bad idea to change the font color -- pretty sure I changed to white text on blue background when I started using Thunderbird years ago.
الحل المُختار
No idea what my correspondents see -- because *I* see white text on white background (which makes my drafts invisible)
What you use in 'Write' window to compose email is not necessarilly the same as you would see when you select 'Drafts' folder and click on a draft message to see content in Message Pane. Reading and Writing are separate but you can set Reading conditions to be used when writing.
You have mentioned wanting to use White text on blue background - highly unusual, but do you want to read all incoming plain text messages in the same way using white text on blue background ? That could have weird results.
I've provided several options so read them carefully because it is about just setting up one part.
If you want to read plain text incoming mail (which has no html coding) to use a BLUE coloured font on white background and you want to create new Write' messages with a BLUE coloured font on white background then do the following:
'BOTH plain text you read and messages you Write use BLUE font on White background
- Menu app icon (3 lines) > Preferences
- select 'General'
- Scroll to 'Language & Appearance'
- click on 'Colours'
- Text = Blue
- Background = white
- uncheck - do not select 'Use System colours'
- 'Override the colours....' select 'Never'
- Click on OK
- Select 'Composition'
- Font: Variable Width' and Size: Medium
It is best not to change those as it will allow the recipient to use preferred font and size.
- Select checkbox 'Use reader's default colours'
This means it will use the settings you set up in 'General' > 'Language & Appearance' section. This is a good option because you are not including anything in HTML code, so recipient can choose what they prefer.
If you want to read plain text incoming mail (which has no html coding) to use a BLACK coloured font and you want to create new Write' messages with a BLUE coloured font then do the following:
Incoming plain text you read is BLACK and messages you Write use BLUE
- Menu app icon (3 lines) > Preferences
- select 'General'
- Scroll to 'Language & Appearance'
- click on 'Colours'
- Text = Black
- Background = white
- uncheck - do not select 'Use System colours'
- 'Override the colours....' select 'Never'
- Click on OK
- Select 'Composition'
- Font: Variable Width' and Size: Medium
It is best not to change those as it will allow the recipient to use preferred font and size.
- uncheck /do not select checkbox 'Use reader's default colours'
When you uncheck that checkbox you get access to set Text and Background.
- Set Text Colour: Blue
- Set Background Colour: White.
This means if you send using both Plain Text and HTML you will be sending the email with some html coding. If recipient views using Original HTML, they will see Blue text on white Background. If they use Simple HTML or Plain Text they will see Black text on White background or whatever setting they have set up as preference. So if you are choosing a colour in this section - please make sure you are sending using: either only Plain Text - to remove your preferences, so not forcing them on others. OR Plain Text AND HTML, so people have a choice of view.
'BOTH plain text you read and messages you Write use White font on Blue background
- Menu app icon (3 lines) > Preferences
- select 'General'
- Scroll to 'Language & Appearance'
- click on 'Colours'
- Text = white
- Background = Blue
- uncheck - do not select 'Use System colours'
- 'Override the colours....' select 'Never'
- Click on OK
- Select 'Composition'
- Font: Variable Width' and Size: Medium
It is best not to change those as it will allow the recipient to use preferred font and size.
- Select checkbox 'Use reader's default colours'
This means it will use the settings you set up in 'General' > 'Language & Appearance' section.
This could have a dreadful effect on your received messages. Some people send emails assuming the recipient has a default white background, so may set a text colour but not a background colour. Basically some emails may become unreadible.
If you want to read plain text incoming mail (which has no html coding) to use a BLACK coloured font on white background and you want to create new Write' messages with a WHITE coloured font on BLUE background then do the following:
- Menu app icon (3 lines) > Preferences
- select 'General'
- Scroll to 'Language & Appearance'
- click on 'Colours'
- Text = Black
- Background = white
- uncheck - do not select 'Use System colours'
- 'Override the colours....' select 'Never'
- Click on OK
- Select 'Composition'
- Font: Variable Width' and Size: Medium
It is best not to change those as it will allow the recipient to use preferred font and size.
- uncheck /do not select checkbox 'Use reader's default colours'
When you uncheck that checkbox you get access to set Text and Background.
- Set Text Colour: White
- Set Background Colour: Blue.
This means recipient will see (assuming they use standard black on white): white text on blue background if sent as HTML and viewed as Original HTML. Black text on White background if sent as Plain Text. white text on White background if sent as HTML but using Simple HTML to view. So it is important you send using PlainText only or Plain TExt and HTML.
Many thanks. This solved the problem!