How to Use Thunderbird 3: Customizing Your Toolbar

If you've used previous versions of Thunderbird, you've probably noticed that the toolbar in Thunderbird 3 is quite different than in those older versions. In fact, the new toolbar has a lot less toolbar buttons than those older versions.

The toolbar in previous versions of Thunderbird contained such buttons as Forward, Back, Print, Reply, Reply All, and Delete, to name a few. The toolbar in Thunderbird 3 has been stripped of all buttons but Get Mail, Write, Address Book, and Tag. (The Reply, Forward, Junk, and Delete buttons, as well as a new Archive button, now appear in the message pane for each open message.)

If you miss having ou can customize the toolbar in Thunderbird 3 to either display the same toolbar buttons as previous versions of Thunderbird, or further customize the toolbar to add or remove any toolbar button you want.

 

Switching Back to the Thunderbird 2 Toolbar

Adding or Removing an Item from Your Toolbar

 

 

 

Switching Back to the Thunderbird 2 Toolbar

Note: The Reply, Reply All, Forward, Archive, Junk, and Delete buttons will still display in the message preview pane even if you display the older Thunderbird toolbar.

 

1. In Thunderbird, select Migration Assistant from the Help menu.
   
   
   
   
   The Migration Assistant tab is displayed.
   
   
   
   
   
2. In the Migration Assistant tab, scroll down the page until you see the section "New Toolbar."
   
   
3. Click on the option use original toolbar.
   
   
   
   
   
   You'll now see the New Toolbar section displayed as shown below.
   
   
   
   
   Note that "Using the original toolbar" is displayed. You should now see your toolbar with all the buttons displayed.

 

Note: Once you've displayed the older toolbar, you can always customize the toolbar further by removing any toolbar buttons you want. You can also return the toolbar to the previous default display at any time. If you decide you want to restore the Thunderbird 3 toolbar, just click on the Restore Default Set button in the Customize Toolbar window.

 

 

Adding or Removing an Item from Your Toolbar

1. In Thunderbird, right-click on the toolbar, and then select Customize from the drop-down list.
   
   
   
   
   The Customize Toolbar window is displayed.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Add or remove an item by performing either of the following:
   • To remove an item from the toolbar, drag the button icon to the Customize Toolbar window.
     
     
     
     
     
     
   • To add an item to the toolbar, drag the item from the Customize Toolbar window to the toolbar.
     
     
     
     
     The item is now in your toolbar.