Composing Email Messages

Main Index

Composing messages from an account other than the default account
Enabling HTML formatting
Displaying the contacts sidebar
Selecting a recipient type from the drop down menu
Forwarding messages as either inline text or as an attachment
Quoting received messages when replying
Pasting text into a message as a quotation or unformatted
Inserting objects into a message while composing
Adding attachments
Using spell check
Saving a message as a draft or as a message to be sent at a later time
Message templates
Attaching signatures to outgoing messages

1. Composing messages from an account other than the default account

To compose a message from an email account different from your default account:

In the folder pane, click on the account name you wish to compose from.
In the menu, select Message > New Message.

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2. Enabling HTML formatting

Users must enable HTML formatting before using HTML formatting features when composing email messages.

To activate HTML formatting:

In the menu, select Tools > Account Settings.
In the left hand menu, click on the "Composition & Addressing" icon in the account you want to edit.
Checkmark the "Compose messages in HTML format" option.

To activate the optional HTML message formatting toolbar, select View > Toolbars > Formatting Toolbar.

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3. Displaying the contacts sidebar

Displaying the contacts sidebar allows users to quickly add contacts to the "To:" and "Cc:" fields.

To display the sidebar:

In the menu of the compose message window, select View > Contacts Sidebar.
In the left hand menu, click on the contact you want to add to your list of message receivers. To add multiple contacts at once, hold down the "Ctrl" key while clicking on the contact names.
Click on either the "Add to To:" or "Add to Cc:" button.

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4. Selecting a recipient type from the drop down menu

Users can quickly choose to enter recipients' addresses in "To", "Cc", "Bcc", and various other fields when composing messages by clicking on "this icon" and selecting their choice from the drop down menu at the top of the compose message window.

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5. Forwarding messages as either inline text or as an attachment

When forwarding messages, users have the option of displaying the forwarded message as inline text within the message body or as attachments.

To choose how your messages are forwarded, select "Message > Forward As > ..." and select the desired option.

Note: You can choose to automatically forward messages as either attachments or inline content by going to "Tools > Options", then choosing the "Composition" icon and making your selection in the drop down menu under "Forwarding Messages".

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6. Quoting received messages when replying

Users can choose whether or not the message they are replying to is included in their reply as a quote.

To choose the option you prefer:

In the menu, select Tools > Account Settings.
Click on "Composition & Addressing" in the account you want to edit.
If you want to include the message you are replying to in your reply, checkmark the "Automatically quote the original message when replying" option.
Select how you want the quotation to be displayed from the drop down menu beside "Then".
Click "Ok" to save your settings.

To change the displayed size and colour of quoted messages:

If you are using a PC, select Tools > Options.
If you are using a Macintosh, select Thunderbird > Preferences.
In the left hand menu, select the "Display" icon.
Edit your preferences in the "Plain Text Messages" section.

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7. Pasting text into a message as a quotation or unformatted

To paste text into a message as either a quotation or unformatted, select "Edit > Paste As Quotation" or "Edit > Paste Without Formatting" from the compose message window menu.

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8. Inserting objects into a message while composing

Note: To insert objects into composed messages, you must have HTML enabled. To learn how to activate this option, see Enabling HTML formatting.

Thunderbird allows users to insert various objects into composed messages such as images, links, horizontal lines, and many more.

To see the full list of which objects you can insert into your message while composing, select "Insert" from the menu in the compose message window.

To insert an image into your message:

Click anywhere on the message body in the compose message window.
In the menu, select Insert > Image.
In the "Location" tab, click on "Choose File" to browse your computer and select the image file you want to insert.
If you want to insert text as an alternate for your image, enter text in the "Alternate text" field. Otherwise, click on the "Don't use alternate text" option.
To change the image's dimensions, click on the "Dimensions" tab and enter the desired width and height.
To change the various feature elements of the image, click on the "Appearance" tab and change the desired options.
To link others to a website when they click on the image, click on the "Link" tab and enter the desired location.
Click "Ok" to insert the image.

To insert a link into your message:

Click anywhere on the message body in the compose message window.
In the menu, select Insert > Link.
In the first text field, enter the text you want the link to be displayed as.
In the second text field, enter the link you want included in your message.
Click "Ok" to insert the link.

To insert a horizontal line into your message:

Click on where you want to insert the horizontal line into the message body in the compose message window.
In the menu, select Insert > Horizontal Line.

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9. Adding attachments

To add attachments to your outgoing message, click on the "Attach" icon in the compose message window.

To add specifically attach a file, web page, or vCard, click on the arrow beside the "Attach" icon and make your selection from the drop down menu.

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10. Using spell check

To spell check an outgoing message, select "Options > Check Spelling" in the compose message window.

Note: To automatically spell check your messages before sending, turn the automated option on by selecting Tools > Options > Composition.

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11. Saving a message as a draft or as a message to be sent it later

When you save a message as a draft, you can later reopen your message, edit the message body, and then send the message.

To save a message as a draft, select "File > Save As > Draft" in the compose message window.

To designate which folder draft messages are sent to:

In the menu, select Tools > Account Settings.
In the left hand menu, click on the "Copies & Folders" icon in the account you want to edit.
In the "Drafts and Templates" section, look under the "Keep message drafts in" heading.
Choose either "Drafts Folder on" or "Other" and select the desired folder from the adjacent drop down menu.
Click "Ok" to save your settings.

When you save a message to send at a later time, you can only send the message later without any further editing.

To save a message to send later, select "File > Send Later" in the menu of the compose message window.

Note: These saved messages are automatically sent to the "Unsent Messages" folder in the "Local Folders" account, located in the folder pane.

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12. Message templates

Thunderbird allows users to create templates that can be accessed quickly for future composed messages. ELABORATE.

To create a new message template:

In the menu, select File > New > Message.
Compose a message.
In the menu, select File > Save As > Template.

To delete a message template:

In the left hand menu, click on "Templates" in the account you want to edit.
In the top center of the main window, click on the template you want to delete.
In the main menu, select Edit > Delete Message.

To designate in which folder saved message templates are located:

In the menu, select Tools > Account Settings.
In the left hand menu, click on the "Copies & Folders" icon in the account you want to edit.
In the "Drafts and Templates" section, look under the "Keep message templates in" heading.
Choose either "Templates Folder on" or "Other" and select the desired folder from the adjacent drop down menu.
Click "Ok" to save your settings.

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13. Adding signatures to outgoing messages

To add a signature to outgoing messages:

In the menu, select Tools > Account Settings.
Click on the name of the account to which you want to attach a signature.
Checkmark the "Attach This Signature" option.
Click "Choose" and browse your computer for the text file you have created that contains your signature.

Note: It is recommended that signatures are kept to a maximum of four lines.