This tutorial has been written by our Technical Support Officer Paul Traynor. Here are some useful instructions on configuring an email account in Mozilla Thunderbird.
After the installation of Thunderbird and it is opened up on screen, open the “View menu”, “Alt + V and arrow down to “Toolbars submenu”. Right arrow in here and make sure that:
* Menu Bar is “Checked”
* Filter Bar is “Unchecked”
* Status bar is “Checked”
Note: Use the “Enter key” to check these items. Otherwise use the left click of the mouse.
2. Go into the “View menu” and arrow down to “Layout”. Here make the following changes;
* Classic view is “Checked”
* Message pane “F8” is “Unchecked”
Note: Use the “Enter key” to check or uncheck these items. Otherwise use the left click of the mouse.
3. Go into the “View menu” and arrow down to “Sort by” and change the following:
* Sort descending is “Checked”
* Date is “Checked”
Note: This means that any newly received messages will be placed at the top of your emails list.
4. Go back into the “View menu” and arrow down to, “Message body as sub menu” and make the following change:
* Plain text is “Checked”
Note: This is a personal preference change. I just prefer plain text but the option is up to the individual.
Implementing the above changes in Thunderbird will give it a pretty clean view for a screen reader to operate in. You will only have four items to tab between as follows:
* Folder list
* Message list
* Tab indicator
* Search edit box
Note: Use your “Tab key” to move between the above objects.
When in the message list just use the “up or down arrows” to move between messages, press the “Enter key” to open a message.
Use the following keys to either forward or reply to a message:
* “Control + R” to reply to an individual mail
* “Control + Shift + R”, reply to all
*Forward a message, “Control + L”
When you have written up a new message or are replying or forwarding a message use keys, “Control + Enter key” to send off the message, you will now be placed back into the Inbox and your list of messages.
After reading a message use keys:
* “Control + W” to close out of that particular message and back to your mails list
*To close out of Thunderbird, Left alt + w
List of Thunderbird keyboard shortcuts:
1. Navigate Messages | |
F8 | Toggle Message Pane |
F6/Tab/Shift+Tab | Switch focus between Folders Pane and Message List Pane |
Arrow Down/Arrow Up | Go one message down / one message up |
Home/End | Go to first message / go to last message |
F/B | Go to next / go to previous message |
N/P | Go to next / go to previous unread Message |
[/] | Go to previously viewed / go to next viewed Message |
Ctrl+O/Enter | Open message (in new window or tab) |
Ctrl+W | Close window or tab |
Ctrl+T | Redo close window or tab |
Ctrl+A | Select all messages |
Ctrl+Shift+A | Select all messages in Thread |
Arrow Right/Arrow Left | Expand / collapse collapsed Thread |
*/ | Expand all Threads / collapse all Threads |
2. Compose and Edit Message | |
Ctrl+M | New Message |
Ctrl+R | Reply to Message (sender only) |
Ctrl+Shift+R | Reply to all in Message |
Ctrl+Shift+L | Reply to list |
Ctrl+L | Forward Message |
Ctrl+E | Edit Message as new |
Ctrl+Enter | Send Message now |
Ctrl+Shift+Enter | Send Message later |
Alt+Arrow Down | Add additional recipient |
Ctrl+[+]/- | Increase / decrease text size of selection |
Ctrl+C/Ctrl+X/Ctrl+V | Copy / Cut / Paste |
Ctrl+Shift+O | Paste as quotation |
Ctrl+Shift+V | Paste without formatting |
Ctrl+A | Select all text in a message |
Ctrl+S | Save draft |
Ctrl+Delete | Delete current word |
Ctrl+Backspace | Delete previous word |
3. Mark, Delete and Move Message | |
M | Mark Message as read / unread |
R | Mark Message Thread as Read |
Shift+C | Mark all Messages als Read |
C | Mark as Read by date |
J/Shift+J | Mark as Junk / mark as not junk |
S | Add / remove Star |
A | Archive Message |
Ctrl+Alt+M | Move to previous folder |
Delete | Delete message |
Shift+Delete | Delete with bypassing trash |
K | Ignore or Unignore Thread |
Shift+K | Ignore or Unignore Subthread |
W | Watch Thread |
1 … 9 | Add / remove Tag 1 … 9 |
0 (zero) | Remove all Tags from Message |
4. Find Messages | |
Ctrl+F | Find Messages with Quick Filter |
Ctrl+Shift+F | Find all Messages in Folder |
Ctrl+f and ctrl+f again | Find text in current Message |
Ctrl+G/F3 | Find text again next in Current Message |
Ctrl+Shift+G/Shift+F3 | Find text again previous in Current Message |
Ctrl+K | Move to Search Bar |
5. Retrieve Messages | |
Ctrl+T/F5 | Send and retrieve all messages |
F5 | Retrieve new messages for current account |
Ctrl+Shift+T | Retrieve new messages for all accounts |
Esc | Stop |
6. Other Shortcuts | |
Ctrl+U | View Message Source |
Ctrl+S | Save Message as File |
Ctrl+P | |
Ctrl+Z | Undo |
Ctrl+Y | Redo |
F7 | Caret browsing (select text with keyboard) |
Ctrl+? | Help |
Ctrl+J | Open ‘Saved Files’ Window |
Ctrl++/- | Increase / decrease text size (zoom) |
Ctrl+ 0 (zero)Command + 0 (zero)Ctrl+0 | Restore Text Size (reset zoom) |
Ctrl+Shift+B | Open Address Book |
Ctrl+Q | Exit |
4. Find Messages | |
Ctrl+F | Find Messages with Quick Filter |
Ctrl+Shift+F | Find all Messages in Folder |
Ctrl+f and ctrl+f again | Find text in current Message |
Ctrl+G/F3 | Find text again next in Current Message |
Ctrl+Shift+G/Shift+F3 | Find text again previous in Current Message |
Ctrl+K | Move to Search Bar |
5. Retrieve Messages | |
Ctrl+T/F5 | Send and retrieve all messages |
F5 | Retrieve new messages for current account |
Ctrl+Shift+T | Retrieve new messages for all accounts |
Esc | Stop |
6. Other Shortcuts | |
Ctrl+U | View Message Source |
Ctrl+S | Save Message as File |
Ctrl+P | |
Ctrl+Z | Undo |
Ctrl+Y | Redo |
F7 | Caret browsing (select text with keyboard) |
Ctrl+? | Help |
Ctrl+J | Open ‘Saved Files’ Window |
Ctrl++/- | Increase / decrease text size (zoom) |
Ctrl+ 0 (zero)Command + 0 (zero)Ctrl+0 | Restore Text Size (reset zoom) |
Ctrl+Shift+B | Open Address Book |
Ctrl+Q | Exit |