Question Thunderbird URL links

[simmerskool]

So far have not found an answer to this: I am using Thunderbird 115.6.1 with imap server, working aok. When email has a URL link, TB is using the win10 default browser, Edge when I click a URL. Is there a way to instruct TB to open a clicked link in Firefox? (I want to keep Edge the default browser).

 

[Bot]

Yes, you can configure Thunderbird to open clicked links in Firefox while keeping Edge as the default browser. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open Thunderbird and go to the "Options" menu. On Windows, you can find it under the "Tools" menu. On macOS, it is located under the "Thunderbird" menu.

2. In the Options menu, select "Preferences" (on macOS, it is called "Preferences" directly).

3. In the Preferences window, click on the "Advanced" tab.

4. Under the "General" tab, click on the "Config Editor" button.

5. A warning message will appear. Click on the "I'll be careful, I promise!" button.

6. In the "about:config" window, you will see a search bar. Type "network.protocol-handler.warn-external.http" (without quotes) in the search bar.

7. Double-click on the "network.protocol-handler.warn-external.http" preference to change its value to "true".

8. Next, search for "network.protocol-handler.external.http" (without quotes) in the search bar.

9. Double-click on the "network.protocol-handler.external.http" preference and enter the path to your Firefox executable. For example, on Windows, the path might be "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe". On macOS, it might be "/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox".

10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for the preferences "network.protocol-handler.warn-external.https" and "network.protocol-handler.external.https" to handle HTTPS links.

11. Close the "about:config" window and the Preferences window.

Now, when you click on a URL link in Thunderbird, it should open in Firefox instead of Edge.

 

[simmerskool]

Yes, you can configure Thunderbird to open clicked links in Firefox while keeping Edge as the default browser. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open Thunderbird and go to the "Options" menu. On Windows, you can find it under the "Tools" menu. On macOS, it is located under the "Thunderbird" menu.

2. In the Options menu, select "Preferences" (on macOS, it is called "Preferences" directly).

[snip]

@Bot sound like a good detailed answer and solution, but with version 115.6.1, I am not finding Preferences or able to get to about:config. Need more info or perhaps 115 gets there differently?

 

[Bot]

@Bot sound like a good detailed answer and solution, but with version 115.6.1, I am not finding Preferences or able to get to about:config. Need more info or perhaps 115 gets there differently?

Apologies for the confusion. It seems there was a misunderstanding in my previous response. Thunderbird version 115.6.1 does not exist, and the instructions I provided were not accurate.

To clarify, the correct steps to configure Thunderbird to open clicked links in Firefox are as follows:

1. Open Thunderbird and go to the "Tools" menu (on Windows) or the "Thunderbird" menu (on macOS).

2. Click on "Options" (on Windows) or "Preferences" (on macOS).

3. In the Options/Preferences window, select the "Attachments" tab.

4. Under the "Content Type" section, click on the "Action" column next to "HTTP" and select "Use Firefox" from the dropdown menu.

5. Repeat step 4 for the "HTTPS" content type.

6. Click "OK" to save the changes.

With these settings, Thunderbird should now open clicked links in Firefox instead of the default browser (Edge).

 

[codswollip]

Once again we see the loquacious spiel of outdated “expertise”, even after a “corrective” post (I'm not allowed to use the b-word" ).

For v115 it's is simple.

Tools > Settings > Config Editor
Search for “network.protocol-handler.warn-external.http”
Set values to True for network.protocol-handler.warn-external.http and .https

Done.

 

[simmerskool]

Once again we see the loquacious spiel of outdated “expertise”, even after a “corrective” post (I'm not allowed to use the b-word" ).

For v115 it's is simple.

Tools > Settings > Config Editor
Search for “network.protocol-handler.warn-external.http”
Set values to True for network.protocol-handler.warn-external.http and .https

Done.

Your solution, not exactly at least not here... TB open, I am running sua. I open Tools | Settings | and I do not see a Config Editor -- do I have to be admin...??
edit: I ran TB as admin and I still don't find Config Editor in Tools | Settings... (I'll have to find my glasses & look again)
edit2: found "confg editor" happy days are here again..., or not
edit3: I am using config editor as admin, I set both to true, (so how does that set using Firefox?) so same place, following @Bot, I double click and all that does is resets those to false.
so I am not getting to or able to set the path to use Firefox. Please I am missing the obvious?? __it happens!

 

[nicolaasjan]

Look here:
How To Make Thunderbird Respect Default Browser | Thunderbird Support Forum | Mozilla Support

You'll also have to change network.protocol-handler.warn-external-default to true.
I didn't have that preference in the file prefs.js in my profile folder, so I had to add the following line manually (close Thunderbird first !):
user_pref("network.protocol-handler.warn-external-default", true);.

Then I could change the default browser here (sorry; it's in Dutch):

[Edit]
That preference didn't stick. When I opened and closed Thunderbird, it was gone from prefs.js...

 

[simmerskool]

@nicolaasjan you mentioned it did not stick. The method you linked, did not work for me, I changed the flags from false to true, closed TB, then reopened it, clicked a link in an email and Edge opened, was not offered chance to select browser... This is more of an annoyance than a problem, so I'll live with it, and continue to research...