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

View > Toolbars > Formatting Bar not available

  • 5 respostas
  • 4 have this problem
  • 14 views
  • Last reply by Mac1989

more options

When I create a new message, I always get a text-formatted message, even though I've set the options to create HTML messages.

I've tried to show the formatting toolbar, but it isn't available; only the Menu Bar, Composition Toolbar and Status Bar are show as options under the View > Toolbars menu. See the attached images.

I've also tried re-installing TB a couple of times in case some components didn't get registered properly. No joy.

What am I missing?

When I create a new message, I always get a text-formatted message, even though I've set the options to create HTML messages. I've tried to show the formatting toolbar, but it isn't available; only the Menu Bar, Composition Toolbar and Status Bar are show as options under the View > Toolbars menu. See the attached images. I've also tried re-installing TB a couple of times in case some components didn't get registered properly. No joy. What am I missing?

Chosen solution

The screen shot of your Write window indicates you are composing a Plain Text message. There is no Insert command in addition to the Formatting Bar choice. Both of these are not used or allowed in plain text. Hence the name. The other screen shot is meaningless since it does not address HTML or Plain Text.

To switch between Plain Text and HTML on a one time basis you hold the shift key while clicking on Write. This will switch between what you have set in Account Settings. If you do this with your existing settings you should see the missing items.

To make the switch in Account Settings go to the menu bar and select Tools-Account Settings-Composition and Addressing Check the option to use HTML.

Ler a resposta no contexto 👍 6

All Replies (5)

more options

The files didn't attach the first time ... here they are.

more options

Chosen Solution

The screen shot of your Write window indicates you are composing a Plain Text message. There is no Insert command in addition to the Formatting Bar choice. Both of these are not used or allowed in plain text. Hence the name. The other screen shot is meaningless since it does not address HTML or Plain Text.

To switch between Plain Text and HTML on a one time basis you hold the shift key while clicking on Write. This will switch between what you have set in Account Settings. If you do this with your existing settings you should see the missing items.

To make the switch in Account Settings go to the menu bar and select Tools-Account Settings-Composition and Addressing Check the option to use HTML.

more options

Airmail ... thanks for both tips. And hopefully this thread will be discovered by others in the future who are experiencing the same PEBKAC issue.

more options

PEBKAC - Thats funny. Now you taught me something. I had never heard that one before . :)

more options

The answer above is good and worked for me but what about when you start a message in HTML in iOS, save it to Draft, then reopen it in Thunderbird 28 in Windows 7.

When i do that the email opens in Draft in Text-only format in Thunderbird and I see no way to make it usable in HTML without copying and pasting it in to a new email.

Any suggestions?

PS - If this requires a new thread, someone just say so.