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Why do my read emails remain in block.

  • 16 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Brian192

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Why do my read emails remain in block. On Outlook express they default to non block. How do I fix

Why do my read emails remain in block. On Outlook express they default to non block. How do I fix

Chosen solution

If you do not see all the toolbars enable them:

Click on the 3 bar menu icon hover over 'Options' make sure all the toolbars are enabled as this makes life so much easier. See image below as aid.

Then check your settings: Tools > Options > Advanced > REading & Display tab I like to have my messages go from bold to unbold immediately when I select to read. see second image below

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All Replies (16)

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What do you mean by "in block"?

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'My emails when received are in bold print

after I have read them thy remain in bold in outlook they default to non bold

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Are you a fast reader? ;-)

There are settings for how long a message is shown before Thunderbird marks it as "read". I don't have Thunderbird here right now to check the settings page you need to find, but we can get back to that.

What happens if you manually mark a message as "read"? Select a message, right-click it. In the pop-up menu, select Mark, then As Read. If this doesn't change the appearance, then possibly a theme is modifying the display.

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After I mark the email as read in the pop up column the message changes case format as in Outlook Express.


I presume this correspondence is monitored . If so why don't Mozilla come galloping to the rescue.

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OK, so you've confirmed that your system can change bold to plain.

I still don't have Thunderbird here to check the precise route, but under Tools|Account Settings, in the menu, having selected the affected account, you should be able to find a setting for what Thunderbird should do when you read a message. Check the settings to see if they are arranged to do something reasonable. I have mine set to mark as "read" immediately; the default, IIRC, is to set it after 5 or maybe 10 seconds (which is why I asked if you are a fast reader!)

No menu? Press the alt key on your keyboard.

Pretty much all help offered on this forum comes from fellow users of Thunderbird. Whilst the forum is hosted and occasionally monitored by Mozilla, there is no formal Mozilla presence here.

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The page Zenos is referring to is Tools-Options-Advanced-Reading and Display

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Sorry no go .

Alt doesn't produce a menu

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You can try F10 to see if a menu bar appears. The alt key or F10 will make a hidden menu bar appear in most cases. If not use the AppMenu button, then hover over the first Options command that appear. The click on the second Options command that appears.

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F 10 did nothing except make the File in the tools bar flicker.

Where is the appmenu button

I am using the free down load version of T Bird

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First off if you already see the menu bar with File on it then you should be seeing Tools on the same menu bar and there is no need to press the alt or F10.

The AppMenu button is toward the right side of the header bar and is a square are with 3 horizontal lines. Hover over it and it says something about displaying the menu.

Also, ALL downloads of Thunderbird are free.

Modified by user01229325

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Thanks . Have been through Menu . No luck

Looks like I'll just have to live with it or switch back to outlook express.

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Brian, the default action is to change the mail appearance immediately that the mail is selected. I understand that there can be a bug appear when you chose to open mail in a windows rather than a tab, but given the number of posts here about finding the menu, I doubt you have changed that default. But then having the menu appear is also not a default setting.

So what does the menu that you had no luck with say? Is it set to immediately, is the open in a tab set or is it something else?

Have you installed any themes or add-ons? Does the behaviour change if you select restart from the help menu with add-ons disabled. What version of Thunderbird are you using?

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My version of T Bird is 31.2.0.

As far as I know I have no add ons etc

Dont follow a window or a tab.

All I do is open T Bird read my mail but it still remains in block lettering.

I can not find anything in the options area that bcan assist

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Should have said that in Outlook emails after reading change case so you know you have read them

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Chosen Solution

If you do not see all the toolbars enable them:

Click on the 3 bar menu icon hover over 'Options' make sure all the toolbars are enabled as this makes life so much easier. See image below as aid.

Then check your settings: Tools > Options > Advanced > REading & Display tab I like to have my messages go from bold to unbold immediately when I select to read. see second image below

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Thank you Toad Hall . Fixed