Mozilla Thunderbird is an Outlook-like email client, but way better. It’s free, it’s multi-platform, it’s multi-lingual and most importantly, it’s highly customizable featuring lots of useful addons and themes. In case you’re new to it than you can read about it here, otherwise jump directly to must-have section below.
TOP 10 Thunderbird Addons (must-have)
(1) Contacts Sidebar - handy addon that lets you display all available address books in Thunderbird sidebar. This lets you easily access all your contacts from the main window, quickly edit contact details, drag’n drop files on top of a contact to send it as an attachment and more… (Thunderbird: 1.5b – 2.0.0.*)
(2) QuoteCollapse - automatically collapses all the quotes within any message, making it look neat and less cluttered. To expand quotes back to standard view just click inserted ‘+’ button. (Thunderbird: 0.7 – 2.0.0.*)
(3) QuickMove - must-have addon letting you quickly file messages to your frequently used folders using keyboard shortcuts. (Thunderbird: 0.5 - 2.0+)
(4) Signature Switch - allows you to create multiple email signatures (Private, Business, etc.) and quickly switch between them right from the main toolbar. Also provides configurable signature auto-switch option based on the email recipients. (Thunderbird: 0.7 – 2.0.0.*)
(5) Remove Duplicate Messages - helps you quickly locate and remove duplicate messages from the selected folders (and its subfolders). (Thunderbird: 1.0 – 1.5.0.*)
(6) Nostalgy - lets you assign single-key keyboard shortcuts to common thunderbird operations i.e., move/copy/delete messages, change folder, add/remove/view tags, add attachment, scroll the message while keeping the focus on the thread pane and lots more. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*)
(7) GMailUI - adds Gmail-like mail archiving and powerful message search (i.e. ‘from:Makeuseof to:Aibek’) functionalities into Thunderbird. Makes excellent addition to already existing ‘Saved Searches’ feature. (Thunderbird: 0.8 – 2.0.0.*)
(8) Attachment Extractor - integrates one-click attachment extract option from selected messages. Once attachments have been extracted it can delete, detach or mark messages as ‘read’. Way easier than going through messages one-by-one. (Thunderbird: 2.0 – 2.0.0.*)
(9) Auto Zip Attachments - adds an ‘AutoZip’ button to the compose toolbar allowing you to compress all attached files to a single ‘zip’ file. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*)
(10) Send Later - integrates extra ‘Send Later At’ (’Ctrl+Shift+Return’) feature to the message compose window, allowing you to send messages on a particular future date and time. It can be a contract cancellation notice, a ‘Happy Birthday’ or a friendly ‘Don’t Forget’ note. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0)
BONUS:Thunderbird Shortcuts (Cheat Sheet)
Well, that’s not really an addon but definitely a must-have for any Thunderbird user. Lots of excellent shorcuts for Thunderbird users here. Highly recommended. Download the cheat sheet.
OTHER Cool Addons
(1) QuickFolders - useful addon that adds an extra toolbar to Thunderbird panel. Drag’n Drop any mail folder on top of it, and you’ll get an instant-access shortcut to that mail folder. Dragging selected message on top of this shortcut will move/copy them to the folder. Especially handy when you have many message folders, but use only a few of them simultaneously. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0)
(2) Birthday Reminder - shows a list of upcoming birthdays for all contacts in your Address Book. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*)
(3) Email Notification Randomizer - extension to randomize the email notification sound. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 1.5.0.*)
(4) Allow HTML Temp - adds a new button to the toolbar that lets you temporarily enable/allow ‘HTML’ in the selected message. Switches back to default settings once you move to the next message (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*)
(5) Text Size - adds text size (increase/decrease) buttons to the main toolbar. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*)
(6) Mail Redirect - lets you export messages out of Thunderbird to another email address without forwarding. It preserves all message headers and “bounces” them to a provided email address. (Thunderbird: 0.7 – 2.0.0.*)
(7) XNote - provides an option to add sticky-like notes/memos to desired messages (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 1.5.0.*)
(8) Lightning - an integrated calendar application for Thunderbird (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*). Also check out Lightning Multiweek, which adds a multi-week view option to Lightning.
(9) Provider for Google Calendar - allows Lightning users to read/write events from/to a Google Calendar. (Thunderbird: 2.0a1 – 3.0a1)
(10) Mouseless - introduces bunch of Keyboard shortcuts for quicker navigation, i.e ‘/ ‘ for search, ‘w’ for new message, ‘a’ for reply, d for delete (move to trash) and so on. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 1.5).
(11) Skype Toolbar - initiate calls, chat sessions, transfer files to your Skype contacts within Thunderbird, view sender’s account status (online, offline), etc. (Thunderbird: 1.0 – 1.5.0. )
(12) Xpunge - adds two buttons to the main toolbar: ‘Xpunge’ and ‘MultiXpunge’, which basically work as shortcuts to already provided ‘compact all messages’ command (’File -> Compact Folders’). While ‘Xpunge’ compacts only whole accounts, “MultiXpunge” can be configured to compact individual folders as well.
(13) MrTech Disable XPI Install Delay - disables default 4 second delay when installing extensions. (Thunderbird: 1.0 – 3.0a1)
(14) View Headers - adds a toolbar button letting you instantly view selected message’s headers. (Thunderbird: 2.0 – 2.0.0.*)
(15) MozPod - sync Thunderbird’s Address Book with an iPod. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*). More iPod Tools and Tips
(16) Nokia Sync - sync Thunderbird with Nokia mobiles. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*)
(17) TimeStamp - adds an option to insert the current date and time to any message. (Thunderbird: 1.0 – 2.0.0.*)
(18) Dictionary Search - provides a quick way to lookup (or translate) any word within an email message. Simply select the word you want to lookup, access right-click menu and select “Dictionary Search for …”. A new tab or browser window will open with the meaning of the word you selected.
(19) Change - currency converter, convert between 36 currencies right from your toolbar. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 1.5.0.*)
(20) Growl Notification (Mac) - displays ‘new mail’ notification as soon as there is a new email. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*)
(21) Minimize To Tray Enhancer (Minimize To Tray needs to be installed as well) - lets you minimize Thunderbird to the system tray instead of the taskbar. Provides an option to minimize Thunderbird on program/windows start.
(22) SenderFace - associate friends’ images with sender’s ID and display image thumbnails in the ‘from’ field. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 1.5.0.*)
(23) Spamato - extendable (with plugins) spam filtering system
(24) withAttach - adds couple of menu options (and toolbar buttons): (1) compose an email with attachments, (2) reply with attachment and (3) reply all with attachment. (Thunderbird: 1.5 – 2.0.0.*)
(25) Smilie Inserter - easily add smilie faces to your messages. Note: Smilies faces need to be downloaded separately. (Thunderbird: 0.7 – 1.5.0.*)
Thunderbird TIPS
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Filed Under: Cool Software Apps
Tags: addons, email, email management, Mozilla, productivity, thunderbird
The Text Complete extension is VERY useful too https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/2320
Specially when you have to write the same things everyday or have generic mails be delivered. You just have to assign a keyword for a whole email and that’s all. I can’t live without it.
from the page:
The text complete extension adds shortcuts and auto complete functionality to text fields within web forms, the thunderbird message composer, and various other fields within the firefox browser and thunderbird messagecomposer - It is also useful for any information that is often entered into form fields such as email addresses, phone numbers, or too just quickly add a signature to the end of a forum post.
Sorry about my english
I’m missing some good ones:
Mnenhy: http://mnenhy.mozdev.org/
Enigmail
@Greg
Thanks Greg, I’ ll give them a try tonight.
@Lola
Looks good, I’ll add it to the list. Thanks.
I really like ArchiveTools (don’t think it’s really an official extension, but works really well), which is an archiver for Thunderbird. Being on an e-mail quota at my office, ArchiveTools saves me the headache of saving my email to local folders . . . http://tidycms.com/ocean/extensions/
Really good collection!
@Steven
Thanks, looks useful. I’ll add it to the list.
this list would have been great, oh about 6 months ago…who in the world still uses email clients? Gmail is the only way to fly, these days.
@Mark
Well, I think it’s a matter of preference and convenience. While Gmail is great for folks on the move (home, work, etc), a desktop client is a more flexible alternative for people with lots of incoming mail.
Anyways, there is something on ‘makeuseof’ for Gmail fans as well. Check out, Gmail Craze: 40+ Tools to make your Gmail Better
Your list is lacking another fun addon: Display Mail User Agent Icon.
http://cweiske.de/misc_extensions.htm#dispMUA
@thadk
thanks, I will add it as well.
I’m enjoying Plaxo’s beta plug-in so I can sync my contacts.
http://www.plaxo.com/api/samples
Uhm. Addons that only work with Thunderbird up to versions 1.5 aren’t what I would expect from a “top 10″ list…
I think only one of them works only upto 1.5, rest works fine on 2.0.
You missed the best of all!
ThunderBrowse
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/5030
I am using Mozillathunderbird 2.0.0.5 and installed “Send later ” extension.I am scheduling the emails correctly for one week(Say for eg.15.08.07-8.00AM) it is stored in the draft folder.
and it is still in that draft folder even the fixed time is crossed.Once I click on the draft folder and on the mail it delivers then and there.Any help.I am in a position to submit a report weekly and I need to plan it priorly.
@Abi
Give me couple of days, I will try running couple of tests with different setups. Meanwhile make sure you have the latest version.
“Copy Sent to Current” - absolutely invaluable!!!
Your replies are stored in the same folder as the e-mail you are replying to (not in the ‘Sent’ folder).
Thanks heaps Guenter!
Go to: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/2561
Thanks for sharing
Does anybody want thunderbird’s “Reply to All” to look like a Forward message? Currently, if i Reply to All, the beginning message would like something like :
John Doe wrote the following on 12/18/2007 2:28 PM:
But I want it to look something like below:
Subject: reply to all
From : John Doe
Date:Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:50:56 +0800
To: Juan Dela Cruz
CC: John Smith
Is there an add-on for thunderbird like this?
I am not sure, try searching in official thunderbird extensions directory.
Hello Marie,
Where you able to find a way to get a solution for this? I also would like that option in Thunderbird. I think it s very necessary to have the From, date, subject, etc when I reply (not only when I forward). I was used to have it in Outlook Express (but don’t like OE) and it seems all other email clients do it as well.
Thanks,
Bea
Hi Marie/Bea.
I’m interested in that feature for thunderbird also.
Were you able to install something that work in that way or similar?????
Regards,
Xerra.
Changequote extension
https://nic-nac-project.org/~kaosmos/changequote-en.html
Personally I also like this extension. It’s interesting to simply sort people according to the number of messages they received or sent. But now I also don’t have to remember anymore, who I still need to reply to or I can find out, who the people are that hardly ever reply. Not earth shattering, but quite cute and useful.
Thanks for sharing
Hello!
I think this try.
is it possible for me to open ms outlook files (.pst) using thunderbird?
if not, then is there any extension that can let me do so
nice tips, but im not using it anymore, gmail is the one for me