Thunderbird themes are add-ons that help you change the look of your Thunderbird, including colours and background. You can easily download them from the Thunderbird Add-on site, install them from Add-ons and Themes in seconds, and remove them at any time.

This guide covers what Thunderbird themes are, how to install and manage them, which ones would be the best choice, and how to download or customize them on platforms like GitHub.

Key Takeaways

  • Add-ons and Themes only change the look of Thunderbird. Your emails remain unaffected.
  • Download other themes from the official website  addons.thunderbird.net to avoid any risk.
  • In Themes tab, click Enable to switch, or remove by clicking on three-dot menu, and the settings icon to check for Updates.
  • In order to add or remove a theme, click enable or disable on any theme, and switch from one theme to another easily. If you change one theme, the previous theme will not get deleted.
Table of Contents

What Are Thunderbird Themes?

Thunderbird themes are like add-ons that changes the visual of your Thunderbird. They control things like the colour scheme and background images. They don’t change Thunderbird working style or your emails, accounts, and other settings.

A theme updates–

  • Toolbar and header colour
  • Tab and sidebar colour
  • Text and icon style and colour
  • Background colour

Note– It only changes the theme of your Thunderbird, not the content of your emails. A message and its content will remain irrespective of the active theme style.

Type Where it comes from
Built-in themes These themes are already included in your Thunderbird, no need to install them.
Add-on themes You can download them from the Thunderbird official Add-ons site.
Custom styling You can use GitHub and other repositories.

Theme v/s Extension– A theme changes the entire look of your Thunderbird whereas Extension adds or changes functionality of the Thunderbird, such as new features or tools.

How To Install Thunderbird Themes? Try These 3 Methods

To install a Thunderbird Theme, open Thunderbird, click the three horizontal lines on top right corner, choose Add-ons and Themes from the menu, choose Theme and add or install as per your choice. To do so, you can follow one of these methods to easily find the themes of your choice.

Method 1: Install Themes From Thunderbird

  1. Open Thunderbird.
  2. Click on the three horizontal lines present on the top right corner of the application.
  3. Select Add-ons and Themes option from the drop-down menu.
  4. From the tab, click Themes in the left sidebar.
  5. Now, you can select default, light, or dark theme, or can browse more themes, or search for one by name.
  6. Click Enable if the theme does not switch automatically.

Note– If you want to enable updating of themes automatically, in the same window click on Settings icon and select ‘Update Add-ons Automatically’.

Method 2: Install Thunderbird Themes from Add-ons Website

  1. In the same tab that you opened in Method 1, on the top you will see an option for ‘Find more add-ons’.
  2. In that search bar, write any theme name and add it, or write addons.thunderbird.net to go the official theme site directly.
  3. Under Themes section, find the relevant theme you like and click Add to Thunderbird.
  4. It will be automatically enabled in your Thunderbird application (Update settings for automatic changes).

Method 3: Install From A File (.xpi), For GitHub

  1. Download the theme’s file and save it as .xpi file.
  2. Open Add-ons and Themes tab in Thunderbird.
  3. Click on settings icon and choose Install Add-on From File.
  4. Select your .xpi file and confirm.
  5. The theme will get added in the Thunderbird.

Safety tip– Never run an executable file in your Thunderbird that claims to be a Theme.

How To Manage Themes In Thunderbird?

There are various options and updates that you can perform on the themes. Some options are explained in the table given below-

If you want to Do this
Change the theme Go to Themes tab in Thunderbird, select theme and click on Enable
Return to the default look Enable Default, Light, or Dark theme option
Delete a theme Click on Three-dots in the theme bar and select Remove
Update themes Click on Settings icon and select Check for Updates option
Install from a file Click on Settings icon and choose Install Add-on From File

What Are The Best Thunderbird Themes?

The best Thunderbird themes depends on how you often use emails. If you use it on regular basis, you can use dark theme as it reduces eye strain, or if you use it only for professional work, select a lighter theme, and if you want to increase accessibility, go for a high-contrast theme.

Tips for choosing a theme:

  • Confirm if it is compatible with your Thunderbird version.
  • Check the last update date of the theme.
  • Read recent reviews about the theme.
  • Check the screenshots provided with the theme to have a better insight.
  • Avoid themes requesting unnecessary permissions.

How To Find Thunderbird Themes On GitHub?

Many developers publish Thunderbird themes and stylings on GitHub, including themes that are not listed on the official websiteaddons.thunderbird.net . You can easily access these Themes for free and update your Thunderbird with unique looks. On GitHub, you will find some small files that will help you change the look of Thunderbird or will allow you to add changes like spacing, fonts, and buttons.

Reminder– Before using any Theme from GitHub, make sure it is updated recently and comes with clear steps to install it. If not updated recently, it may not work properly with your Thunderbird. Before making any changes, you should always back up your Thunderbird data to ensure no data loss or formatting issue afterwards.

Why Isn’t My Thunderbird Theme Working?

Problem Fix
Theme doesn’t apply Click Enable in the Themes tab, restart Thunderbird
Odd colours or unreadable text Try another theme or check for updates
Installation got blocked Use the official site and a valid .xpi
Theme disappeared after an update Reinstall the theme or update the version. If you reinstall Thunderbird, export and save your emails first.

Conclusion

Thunderbird themes are additional inputs that change how your Thunderbird looks, keeping the functionality same. Download them from the official website to ensure safety of your email client and manage them anytime in the Themes tab. Always keep backup of your Thunderbird emails  before customizing anything to ensure any wrong download or setting does not delete or modify your data.  Moreover, get the best Thunderbird theme that matches your working style and support your version, and help you read the emails easily.

FAQs

  1. Is it safe to download GitHub Thunderbird themes?
    It may or may not be safe for your Thunderbird. If you need more secured theme, select those that were updated recently, and have clear installation steps with screenshots. Never run an .exe file that claims to be a theme.
  2. Can I have my own Thunderbird theme?
    Yes. You can edit an existing open source theme from GitHub instead of build from scratch to get an idea about how themes are made. If you have already created your own theme, save that file as .xpi and get it imported in your Themes tab.
  3. Will font style or text size change with Themes in Thunderbird?
    No. Themes can handle only the colour and backgrounds in Thunderbird. If you want to change fonts, go to Thunderbird Settings, which will open from the bottom-left of the Add-ons page.
  4. Is there any need to update a theme when Thunderbird updates?
    Usually not. If you have changed settings to ‘Update Add-ons automatically’ in the settings menu, the themes will get updated on their own. If it stops working after Thunderbird update, try updating your theme, or try a new theme.