This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

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

Keyboard Shortcuts for Thunder Bird?

  • 6 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Lindzmc

more options

I've been trying to use keyboard shortcuts to access Thunder Bird since I can't use a traditional mouse, however the ones I found on the interest are not functioning properly, is there a current list of keyboard shortcuts for all aspects of the email. The one I'm struggling most with is selecting between inbox and individual messages. Thank you for any help!

I've been trying to use keyboard shortcuts to access Thunder Bird since I can't use a traditional mouse, however the ones I found on the interest are not functioning properly, is there a current list of keyboard shortcuts for all aspects of the email. The one I'm struggling most with is selecting between inbox and individual messages. Thank you for any help!

Chosen solution

There's rather too much stuff, IMHO, in Thunderbird, that has low discoverability, and much of it is accessible only with a pointing device.

At the very least, you should make the traditional menus visible, since they can be navigated using the traditional accelerator keys. Many but not all menu functions also have keyboard keys associated with them. The toolbars, by and large, will not be useful to a keyboard user, and nor will the more recently added Application Menu. :-(

The keyconfig add-on will also allow you to modify existing keyboard shortcuts and define your own. But the issue you describe, moving between messages, folders and accounts is so inherently mouse-centric that I can't imagine any easy-to-use keyboard based method. I wish you luck.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keyconfig_extension:_Thunderbird

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (6)

more options
more options

Thank you for the link, however this was what I was using, and The shortcuts were not working properly. I did call in today and talk to a tech-support person, however I was not in front of my computer. He wanted me to give him the name of my keyboard, could that have something to do with why it might not be working? Or are there specific shortcuts for specific keyboards? Any help is welcome! Thank you

more options

FYI: There is no authorized Thunderbird support other than this forum. There are lots of people using the name to take your money.

All of the shortcuts that I have used in the past work. I am not about to try and guess which ones out of that long list do not work for you.

more options

Thank you!

more options

Chosen Solution

There's rather too much stuff, IMHO, in Thunderbird, that has low discoverability, and much of it is accessible only with a pointing device.

At the very least, you should make the traditional menus visible, since they can be navigated using the traditional accelerator keys. Many but not all menu functions also have keyboard keys associated with them. The toolbars, by and large, will not be useful to a keyboard user, and nor will the more recently added Application Menu. :-(

The keyconfig add-on will also allow you to modify existing keyboard shortcuts and define your own. But the issue you describe, moving between messages, folders and accounts is so inherently mouse-centric that I can't imagine any easy-to-use keyboard based method. I wish you luck.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keyconfig_extension:_Thunderbird

Modified by Zenos

more options

This will really help! Thank you!