Mozilla Thunderbird 52

Open-source Thunderbird is a free email client on steroids

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Mozilla Thunderbird 52 is a free, full-featured, and secure email application and chat client that includes an RSS feed reader and newsgroups option. It allows you to manage multiple email accounts from one location with advanced filtering features.

This article covers Mozilla Thunderbird 52. Several new versions of Thunderbird have arrived since its publication. Some features may be as described, while others have changed, evolved, or been removed.

Thunderbird 52 Features

Mozilla Thunderbird 52 brings privacy, speed, and new tech. Features include:

  • Mail Account Setup Wizard: With the setup wizard, you don't need to know your IMAP, SMTP, and SSL/TLS settings. After you enter your name, email address, and password, the wizard checks Thunderbird and selects the correct settings.
  • Attachment Reminder: When your outgoing email mentions "attachment" or a similar term, Thunderbird reminds you to add the attachment before you send the email.
  • Multiple-Channel Chat: Use the Chat feature to reach contacts from Facebook Chat, Google Talk, IRC, Twitter, or XMPP. Search past conversations and receive emails from your contacts.
  • One-Click Address Book: Add people to your address book by clicking the star on the message you receive. Use two clicks to add additional information or a photo.
  • Personalized Email Addresses: If you want a personalized email address, you can sign up for one in Thunderbird. The email service sets it up automatically.
  • Tabbed Email: Thunderbird took a cue from its sister-app Firefox and added Tabbed email. When you open emails in tabs, you can quickly jump between them.
  • Web Search Inside Thunderbird: You don't have to leave Thunderbird to search the web. Type your search term in Thunderbird's search field and select from several search providers. If you run across an unfamiliar term or concept in an email, right-click it and select Search the Web for to initiate a search.
  • Search Tools: Thunderbird indexes your emails and chats so that you can search them quickly. The results appear in a separate tab for reference.
  • Quick Filter Toolbar: Type words in the Quick Filter search box for nearly instant results. You can also filter by New Messages, Tags, or people in your Address Book.
  • Activity Manager: Thunderbird's Activity Manager is the place to look for a synopsis of the interactions between your Thunderbird browser and your email provider.
  • Quick Message Archive: If you don't need an email message but don't want to throw it away, send it to the archive folder system by pressing the A button.

Customize Your Thunderbird Experience

Thunderbird allows you to customize your email experience in several ways:

  • Personas and Themes: Think of personas as lightweight skins that change the look and feel of Thunderbird. Hundreds of personas are available for download. You can also download Themes that change all the icons in Thunderbird.
  • Smart Folders: If you have multiple email accounts, you'll appreciate Smart Folders that combine special folders, such as the Inbox, Sent, and Archive folders. Instead of going to multiple Inbox folders, you can make a single stop.
  • Add-ons Manager: You don't have to leave Thunderbird and go to an add-ons website. From the Add-ons Manager, view descriptions, ratings, and recommendations of available add-ons that add functionality to Thunderbird.
  • Filelink Large-File Management: Set up Filelink to handle the upload of files that are too large to attach to an email. Select from popular large-file attachment sites such as Box, YouSendIt, and Ubuntu One.

Security Features

Here's how Thunderbird keeps your email safe:

  • Phishing Protection: Thunderbird protects you from being tricked into handing out your personal information by marking potential phishing attempts. It also notifies you when you click a link that will take you to a website that is different from the one indicated in the message.
  • Privacy and Do Not Track: To protect your privacy, Thunderbird automatically blocks remote images in emails. Thunderbird also provides a Do Not Track option associated with Search the Web. It can be used in other requests through the use of an add-on.
  • Automated Updates: Thunderbird notifies you when a security update is available.
  • Junk Mail Filters: Each time you mark an email as spam, Thunderbird learns from your action. The service's popular junk mail tools have been updated to stay ahead of spam.

System Requirements

Thunderbird 52 is compatible with the following operating systems:

  • Windows operating systems. Compatible systems include all Windows operating systems from XP SP3 through Windows 10.
  • Mac operating systems. Compatible systems include Mac OS X 10.9 through macOS 10.13 High Sierra.
  • Linux operating systems. Linux operating systems GTK+ 3.4 or higher are compatible. However, there are several additional requirements, which are listed on the Thunderbird website.
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