Change The Thunderbird Reply Email Layout

Whenever a Thunderbird user replies to an email a default layout is being used to add information like the original authors name and email contents to the reply. Some users might want to change some of the elements that are added automatically. This can be for example useful if the user wants the replies to appear in a specific language that is not the default installation language of the email client. It is also possible to remove or add text or information from the replies.

All these parameters are handled in the Thunderbird configuration file. To get there click on [Tools] then [Options] to open the visible settings. Now click on the [Advanced] tab and there on the [Config Editor] entry which should open the Thunderbird configuration file which resembles that of the Firefox web browser.

Filter for the term [mailnews.reply] which should display nine entries that define several options when replying to emails in the Thunderbird email client.

Probably the most interesting parameters in these options are:

• mailnews.reply_header_authorwrote – Change the default [%s wrote] to something else. The [%s] variable defines the name of the writer of the original email.
• mailnews.reply_header_ondate – Change the default [On %s] to something else. The [%s] variable defines the date the original email was received.
• mailnews.reply_header_originalmessage – Change the default [-------- Original Message --------] to something else or remove it completely if you feel it is not needed.

You can change a value by double-clicking on its line in the configuration menu of the Thunderbird email client.

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Author: Martin Brinkmann, Wednesday June 10, 2009 -
Tags:Email, email client, emails, mozilla thunderbird, thunderbird, thunderbird tips

Responses so far:

1. Jared says:

   June 10, 2009 at 11:13 pm

   For anyone who uses Postbox (email client based on Thunderbird), The changes also work with it

   Reply