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Messages stay bold after reading

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 63 views
  • Last reply by Stigwalton

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For years I had Thunderbird display unread message in bold and revert to normal text after I read them. How can I get back to this?

For years I had Thunderbird display unread message in bold and revert to normal text after I read them. How can I get back to this?

Chosen solution

Are you saying you already have those settings? Or are you saying you have unchecked the Automatically mark messages as read'

What is the current setting?


Suggest you : Set up settings to auto mark as read as per image. Restart Thunderbird in 'Safe Mode' and run in this mode for a while until you get new emails and then select 'Inbox' and see if the new email is still bold. It should only change to 'marked as read' when you open it either in the Message Pane or in a new tab (Assuming you settings to auto mark as read).

It should not be marking as read just because you clicked on 'Inbox'.

Does all work as expected if you run in Thunderbird SAfe Mode?

How to start Thunderbird in SAfe Mode:

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (4)

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What is set up in Options? se image below as aid.

  • 'Menu icon ' > 'Options' > 'Options' > 'Display' > 'Advanced' tab
  • select 'Automatically mark messages as read'
  • select 'Immediately on display'
  • click on 'OK'
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I have tried this already but this puts all new messages to normal text immediately on opening Thunderbird. So I don't get an immediate view of what's new, as I used to.

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Chosen Solution

Are you saying you already have those settings? Or are you saying you have unchecked the Automatically mark messages as read'

What is the current setting?


Suggest you : Set up settings to auto mark as read as per image. Restart Thunderbird in 'Safe Mode' and run in this mode for a while until you get new emails and then select 'Inbox' and see if the new email is still bold. It should only change to 'marked as read' when you open it either in the Message Pane or in a new tab (Assuming you settings to auto mark as read).

It should not be marking as read just because you clicked on 'Inbox'.

Does all work as expected if you run in Thunderbird SAfe Mode?

How to start Thunderbird in SAfe Mode:

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Sorry guys: I think this is user error (probably due to recent conversion to Windows 10, due to fire. This has frazzled my brain). I'm accidentally launching two instances of Thunderbird by double clicking instead of single clicking the taskbar. So I think the second instance somehow clears the bold setting.