Thunderbird E-Mail Client Hot Keys

Note To Users Of This Page

We have used Headings to identify categories. Use your paragraph key to read keys and general information, usually the P key, for NVDA it's Control plus Down Arrow.

Shortcut keys and operating systems

On Windows and Linux, the shortcut accelerator key is usually the Ctrl key
On Mac OS X, the shortcut accelerator key is usually the Command key
On Mac OS X laptops, you must hold down the fn key to enable a function key

Message functions

Starting a new message

New message Ctrl + N
Ctrl + M

Reply to Message (sender only) Ctrl + R

Reply to All in Message (sender and all recipients) Ctrl + Shift + R

Reply to List Ctrl + Shift + L

Forward Message Ctrl + L

Edit Message as New Ctrl + E

Starting a new message in non-default format (Plain text vs. HTML) Hold Shift while clicking any one of these buttons:
Write, Reply, Reply All, Reply List, or Forward; or Right-click existing message, then hold Shift while choosing any one of the following from the context menu:
Reply to Sender Only, Reply to All, Reply to List, or Forward.

For keyboard shortcuts during message composition, see Writing Messages.

Receiving and reading messages

Get New Messages for Current Account F5

Get New Messages for All Accounts Shift + F5

Open message (in new window or tab) Ctrl + O or Enter

Open message or folder in a new tab in the background Middle-click the message or folder, or Right-click the message or folder, then choose Open Message in New Tab or Open in New Tab from the context menu

Open message or folder in a new tab in the foreground Shift + Middle-click the message or folder, or Right-click the message or folder, then hold Shift while choosing Open Message in New Tab or Open in New Tab from the context menu

Open message in conversation Ctrl + Shift + O

Zoom In Ctrl + + Ctrl + = Ctrl + scroll wheel up

Zoom Out Ctrl + minus Ctrl + scroll wheel down

Reset Zoom Ctrl + 0 (zero)

Expand Collapsed Thread Tab Question mark

Collapse Expanded Thread tab question mark

Expand All Threads tab star

Collapse All Threadstab backslash

Newsgroups: Ignore or Unignore Thread K

Newsgroups: Ignore or Unignore Subthread Shift + K

Newsgroups: Watch Thread W

For keyboard shortcuts to move between your messages, see Moving around Thunderbird.

Managing your messages

Print message or selected message text Ctrl + P

Save Message as File Ctrl + S

View Message Source Ctrl + U

Select All (messages, text, or attachments) Ctrl + A

Select Thread Ctrl + Shift + A

Toggle Caret browsing (select text with keyboard) F7

Copy selected text Ctrl + C

Cut selected search text Ctrl + X

Paste text into search or filter fields Ctrl + V

Select multiple adjacent messages (a continuous set of messages) Select the first message of your intended selection, and then either Shift + Click on the last message of your selection, or hold Shift while using any of the following movement keys to expand your selection: ?, ?, Page Down, Page Up, End, or Home.

Select multiple non-adjacent messages (several separate messages) Select any message of your intended selection, and then either Ctrl + Click on each message that you want to add to your selection, or hold Ctrl while using any of the movement keys listed below and then pressing Space on each message that you want to add to your selection. The movement keys are ?, ?, Page Down, Page Up, End, or Home.

Copy message to another folder Hold Ctrl while dragging message to destination folder (release mouse button before releasing Ctrl).

Move message to another folder Drag message to destination folder.

Move/Copy message to previous target folder Again Ctrl + Shift + M

Archive Message A

Delete message, folder, attachment, or selected search text tab Delete

Delete message bypassing trash (no Undo!)tab Shift + Delete

Undo Ctrl + Z

Redo Ctrl + Y

Rename Folder F2

Tagging and marking your messages

Add/Remove Tag 1 to 9

Remove All Tags from Message 0 (zero)

Mark Message as Read/Unread M

Mark Thread as Read R

Mark All Read Shift + C

Mark as Read By Date C

Mark as Junk J

Mark as Not Junk Shift + J

Add/Remove Star S

Search and filter functions

? | ? | ?

Finding messages

Search All Messages (global fulltext search in all accounts) Ctrl + K

Quick Filter (search messages in current folder or view) Ctrl + Shift + K

Clear current Quick Filter; hide Quick Filter Bar tab Escape (as often as needed)

Search Messages (advanced search in folder) Ctrl + Shift + F

Finding text in the current message

Find Text in Current Message Ctrl + F

Find Again in Current Message Ctrl plus G or F3

Find Previous in Current Message Ctrl + Shift + G or Shift + F3

For a history of search shortcuts across different versions of Thunderbird, see Keyboard Shortcuts for Searching.

Moving around Thunderbird

?

Moving between messages tab

Go to Mail Start Page Alt + Home

Scroll Down Current Message, then Go to Next Unread Message tab Space

Go to Next Message tab F

Go to Previous Message tab B

Go to Next Unread Message tab N

Go to Previous Unread Message tab P

Go to Next Unread Thread (and mark current thread as read) tab T

Go to Next Viewed Message tab right bracket

Go to Previous Viewed Message tab left bracket

Controlling Thunderbird windows and tabs

Move to Next UI Element Tab

Move to Previous UI Element Shift + Tab

Move to Next Mail Pane tab F6 Ctrl + F6

Move to Previous Mail Pane Shift + F6 Ctrl + Shift + F6

Next Tab Ctrl + Tab Ctrl + Page Down

Previous Tab Ctrl + Shift + Tab Ctrl + Page Up

Mail & Newsgroups Home Tab (Tab 1) Ctrl + 1 Tab 2 to 8 Ctrl + 2to8 Last Tab Ctrl + 9

Address Book Ctrl + Shift + B

Saved Files Ctrl + J

Help tab F1

Toggle Message Pane tab F8

Toggle Menu Bar (if hidden) tab Alt F10

Show context menu Menu key Shift + F10

Minimize current window Win + question mark

Hide Thunderbird (Mac only) tab

Hide Other Windows (Mac only) tab

Close window or tab tab Ctrl + W

Alt + F4 (only for closing a window}

Ctrl + F4 (only for closing a tab)

Undo close tab (restore and go to most recently closed tab) Ctrl + Shift + T

Writing messages

? | ? | ?

Creating, saving, and sending a message

New message (see Starting a new message) Ctrl + N or Ctrl + M

Save Draft Ctrl + S

Print Draft Ctrl + P

Send Message Now Ctrl + Enter

Send Message Later Ctrl + Shift + Enter

Controlling the compose window

Toggle Contacts Sidebar F9

Move to next main UI element F6 or Ctrl + F6 or Ctrl + Tab

Move to previous main UI element Shift + F6 or Ctrl + Shift + F6 or Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Zoom In tab Ctrl + + New in TB 24
Ctrl + = New in TB 24
Ctrl + scroll wheel up

Zoom Out Ctrl + - New in TB 24
Ctrl + scroll wheel down

Reset Zoom Ctrl + 0 (zero) New in TB 24

Show Main Mail Window (Mail & Newsgroups) Ctrl + 1

Most of the common keyboard shortcuts for controlling a Thunderbird window can also be used in the compose window.

Editing the message text and handling attachments

Copy Ctrl + C

Cut Ctrl + X

Paste Ctrl + V

Paste as quotation Ctrl + Shift + O

Paste without formatting Ctrl + Shift + V

Rewrap message text Ctrl + R

Delete selected text, attachment, table cell contents, or table tabDelete

Delete word to the right (from cursor to end of word) tab Ctrl + Delete

Delete word to the left (from cursor to start of word) tab Ctrl + Backspace

Select All (text in a message, or

attachments) tab Ctrl + A

Select Table Cell tab Ctrl + Click within cell

Select Table Rows or Columns tab Drag across cells of rows or columns

Select Table tab Ctrl + Click on table border

Insert Link tab Ctrl + K

Discontinue Link, or Remove Links from selection tab Ctrl + Shift + K

Remove Named Anchors tab Ctrl + Shift + R

Undo Ctrl + Z

Redo Ctrl + Y

Find and Replace Text in Current Message Ctrl + F or Ctrl + H New in TB 24

Find Again in Current Message Ctrl + G or F3

Find Previous in Current Message Ctrl + Shift + G or Shift + F3

Check Spelling Ctrl + Shift + P

Attach File Ctrl + Shift + A

Rename Attachment F2

Insert a line break instead of a new paragraph Shift + Enter (Enter inserts a paragraph break in paragraph format mode.)

Styling the message text

Larger Font Size Ctrl + > or Ctrl + .

Smaller Font Size Ctrl + < or Ctrl + comma

Text Style Bold Ctrl + B

Text Style Italics Ctrl + I

Text Style Underline Ctrl + U

Text Style "Fixed Width" Ctrl + T

Discontinue or Remove Text Styles Ctrl + Shift + Y or Ctrl + Space

Increase Indent Ctrl + right bracket

Decrease Indent Ctrl + left bracket

Address Book

? | ? | ?

New Address Book Contact Ctrl + N

Write new message to selected contact(s) tab Ctrl + M

Addressbook Quick Filter Ctrl + F

Addressbook Advanced Search Ctrl + Shift + F

Edit Properties of selected contact or address book Ctrl + I

Select all (contacts, or search text) Ctrl + A

Print selected contacts Ctrl + P

Delete (selected text, contact, or address book) tab Delete

Show Main Mail Window (Mail & Newsgroups) Ctrl + 1

Miscellaneous

? | ? | ?

Clear History Ctrl + Shift + Delete

Lightning (Calendar Add-on)

? | ? |

Show or hide Today Pane F11

Calendar tab Ctrl + Shift + C

Tasks tab Ctrl + Shift + D

Mail & Newsgroups Home Tab (Tab 1) Ctrl + 1

New Event Ctrl + I

New Task Ctrl + D

Calendar Tab Show Events Filter bar Events and Tasks ?

Find Events

Filter Events tab (Bug 449018)

Clear current Events Filter Escape

Go to Today Alt + End

Day View Alt + 1

Week View Alt + 2

Multiweek View Alt + 3

Month View Alt + 4

Tasks Tab

Filter Tasks Ctrl + Shift + K

Clear current Tasks Filter Escape

General Functions

Copy (selected events, tasks, or text) Ctrl + C

Cut (selected events, tasks, or text) Ctrl + X

Paste Ctrl + V

Delete (selected events, tasks, or text) tab Delete

Undo Ctrl + Z

Redo Ctrl + Y

Print Ctrl + P


Created on ... July 18, 2018