How to Use Thunderbird 3: Creating a Filter

A filter enables you to tell Thunderbird how to handle certain e-mail messages you send or receive. For instance, you can set up a rule to move messages you receive and that contain file attachments to a particular folder. So filters are actions that you want Thunderbird to perform if certain conditions, or criteria, are met. Filters are very powerful, and can be very useful in helping you manage your mail messages.

To demonstrate how to create a filter, we will create an example filter where any messages received from Judy Smith, js234 @ georgetown.edu, that contain the words "spring registration" will be moved to the "Spring Registration" folder.

For a more detailed explanation of filters, see the Introduction to Filters page.

When you create a filter, you first set up one or more conditions that you want Thunderbird to look out for. You will then set up actions that you want Thunderbird to perform if any message meets those conditions. For example, you can set up a rule where, if you receive a message from a specific person containing a specific key word, then you have Thunderbird move the message to a specific folder.

 

1. In Thunderbird, select Message Filters from the Tools menu.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. In the Filters for drop-down list of the Message Filters window, select the account for which you want to create the filter (in the example below, the account "jhoya @ georgetown.edu" has been selected), and then click on the New button.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. In the Filter Rules window, create your filter by performing the following:
   1. Type a descriptive name for your filter in the Filter Name field.
   2. Select when you want your filter to be applied from the Apply filter when drop-down list (if you want to apply the filter either only when you check mail, only when you manually run the filter, or when you you check mail and manually run the filter).
   3. Select whether you want the filter to be applied when any or all of the conditions you set up are matched, or if you want the filter to appy to all messages.
   4. Choose the conditions for which you want Thunderbird to search from the drop-down lists, and then type in the keyword or phrase that applies to the conditions you selected. (In the example below, "spring registration" is the phrase that will be applied to the conditions set.)
   5. Select the action(s) you want Thundebird to perform when the conditions of your filter are met. (In the example below, the action selected is to move messages that meet the condition to the "My Spring Registration Stuff" folder.)
   6. If you want to create additional conditions or actions, click on the plus sign button. A new field will be displayed.
   7. Perform steps a through f until you've added all the desired conditions and actions for your filter. (Note: If you have too many conditions and actions, you may want to consider creating a new filter.)
   8. Click on the OK button when you're done.

   
   
   
   
   
   The Message Filters window is displayed with your new filter listed.
   
   
   
   
   

Although by default the filter is set to run automatically (there's a check mark in the "Enabled" column), you can still run your filter manually at any time.