This sounds like you are talking about creating a new message in the 'Write' window. This issue seems to have been around for a while. What OS are you using...Windows, MAC, Linux ? If MAC or Linux OS - where did you get the download - eg: snap, flatpack If Windows - did you get Thunderbird from official download website or via Windows app ? What version of Thunderbird are you using ?

The first thing to check is does it work better or the same in Troubleshooting mode. eg: does it stop showing different coloured font.

• In Thunderbird - Help > Troubleshoot Mode
• Pop up window - click on 'Continue in Troubleshoot Mode'
• REport on results.

You mention "the recipient dropdown started showing grey on some listed entries and white for others, " I presume you are not talking about using the Contacts Sidebar. Perhaps you start to type in the 'TO' field and see drop down list.

It would be helpful if you posted an image showing this - even if you partially blank out - providing some part is showing the issue.

Does this go away in TRoubleshoot Mode ?

Test Theme: The colour of the background and the text colour will depends upon what theme you are using. For test purposes you would need to select a theme which is supplied by default: Settings > Add-ons and Themes > select 'Themes' > choose Light or Dark.

Please tell us if you are using any other theme and if you installed a theme then the name of the theme. Do you get issue when using Dark or Light theme ?

Address Books: Do you only use the default address books - Personal Address Book and Collected Addresses ? Do you have other address books which you manually created?

Have you noticed if the greyed text contacts in drop down list are always from a specific address book ?

Thanks very helpful post! Windows OS exe came from the official site thunderbird version 115.13.0 (32-bit) (I guess I should switch to x64, I wonder if that's easy?) troubleshooting mode, without disabling add ins, fixes the issues I am having this issue when creating a new email, using the To: dropdown list. In troubleshooting mode the grey banding is gone and the result set is sensible (I type in "sam" and I get a short list of entries with sam). Have never used the contacts sidebar. Light theme, default no added themes. my email accounts are with google. I use cardbook to sync to gmail. I think all of the addresses are in the one gmail account. Also, and interesting, the contacts sidebar, which I've never used until you mentioned it and I then tested it, does not have this issue. It is only the dropdown list that is presented when I start typing into a new email's To field.

If others are having this issue, how can it still be biting after more than a year? It's a major problem. That said I totally appreciate thunderbird, it's a huge asset.

Help on this?

This is important to me I hope someone can respond with a way to fix or defeat the "feature".

You are still using thunderbird version 115.13.0 (32-bit) The updates should have offered you 115.14.0esr, 115.15.0esr, 115.16.0esr, 115.16.1esr and now the latest for those still using 115* is 115.16.2esr.

Have you updated to any of these since last post ?

Thanks Todd. I am on 115.13.0 (32-bit) yes, and oddly it says updates disabled by system admin (that's me). I have no idea how to change that. Will look, but if you have a clue please let me know.

I have updated manually to 128.3.3 and the bug persists. This was a well known bug that was supposed to be fixed?

You previously said "troubleshooting mode, without disabling add ins, fixes the issues"

Please note 'troubleshooting mode' auto disables all addon extensions. You would not need to have manually disabled anything as it occurs by default. This basically means it's more likely not a Thunderbird problem. You are probably using an addon extension which effects the Address Book and is influencing the outcome.

You mention "I use cardbook to sync to gmail. I think all of the addresses are in the one gmail account."

I have a gmail account, a gmail calendar and gmail address book. I do not use any addons to hook up the address book. Thunderbird now hooks up to Carddav addess books and does not need an addon extension for this.

Uninstall the addon extension cardbook. If necessary remove the gmail address book and then add it again via method below.

• In 'Address Book'
• Click on the 'Add a new Address Book' icon
• Select 'Add Carddav Address Book'
• Enter gmail email address and the Location field is auto filled with gmail.com.
• click on 'Continue'
• Thunderbird looks it up and says 'Available Address Books' and shows 'Address Book' which is selected.
• click on 'continue'

A new Address Book is added to my Address Book list and it's just called 'Address Book' I can see all the contacts and they are the same as when I logon to webmail via browser. I rename it to 'Gmail Address Book' via right click > Properties. Do not select 'Read only'.

then see how this effects the auto complete when looking up contacts.

Disabling cardbook has solved the issue. I brought cardbook onboard because at least at the time it helped with syncing goolgle labels. That's less important than bug is a negative, where it's easy to select the wrong recipient. Thanks to all of you for pitching in on this. I'm grateful that thunderbird has continued to improve it's feature set.