When you have a problem with one particular site, a good "first thing to try" is clearing your Firefox cache and deleting your saved cookies for the site.

(1) Bypass Firefox's Cache

Use Ctrl+Shift+r to reload the page fresh from the server.

(You also can clear Firefox's cache completely using:

orange Firefox button or Tools menu > Options > Advanced

On the Network mini-tab > Cached Web Content : "Clear Now")

(2) Remove the site's cookies (save any pending work first) using either of these. While viewing a page on the site:

• right-click and choose View Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"
• Alt+t (open the classic Tools menu) > Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"

Then try reloading the page. Does that help?

These features rely on JavaScript, and it sounds as though you have scripting enabled if you get (the wrong) color changes. Some add-ons might alter the way scripts operate, so a standard diagnostic to bypass interference by extensions (and some custom settings) is to try Firefox's Safe Mode.

First, I recommend backing up your Firefox settings in case something goes wrong. See Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles. (You can copy your entire Firefox profile folder somewhere outside of the Mozilla folder.)

Next, restart Firefox in Firefox's Safe Mode (Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode) using

Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

In the dialog, click "Start in Safe Mode."

If those features work correctly, this points to one of your extensions or custom settings as the problem.

To also disable plugins, you can use this page:

orange Firefox button or classic Tools menu > Add-ons > Plugins category

Any change?

Did it work before in Firefox?

Just above the text area that you use to edit the message text on the "Compose New Mail page" there is usually a button bar with buttons to add text formatting like Bold and Italic.
That toolbar may also have a button to turn a text link into a clickable hyperlink (look for a chain like button).
You can select the text and click that button to turn the link into a clickable hyperlink.
If you can't find the button then hover them all to check the tooltip of each (e.g. Insert hyperlink).

To Jscher2000: Thank you for the recommendations. I do regularly clear cookies, histories, caches, etc., at least daily. I tried all the steps you suggested, but there is no difference in the end result; still no hyperlink, still no (correct) color changes to the fonts. Thanks again for the ideas.

To Cor-el: To answer your first question, I think so. I've been using Mozilla for close to a year for my email and I'm pretty certain that the automatic hyperlink formatting, as well as being able to change the text font colors have been working up until maybe a couple months ago. I've checked and double checked for the hyperlink button as you suggested, but there isn't one. Thank you for your input.

I'm sure a solution (other than using Internet Explorer) is out there. Other ideas??

Did you try to send a test mail to see if the links work when you open such a mail for reading?

The change of the font colors sounds weird to me as that would suggest some code corruption or JavaScript not working as it should.

Try to create a new profile as a test to check if your current profile is causing the problems.

See "Creating a profile":

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Standard_diagnostic_-_Firefox#Profile_issues

If the new profile works then you can transfer some files from the old profile to that new profile, but be careful not to copy corrupted files.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_data_to_a_new_profile_-_Firefox