Changing the Default Mozilla Thunderbird Message Font

By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated November 19, 2019

What, currently, is your favorite font?

It's not "Times New Roman", you say? You're not too happy with the default Mozilla Thunderbird presents to you whenever you start a new email, are you?

Fortunately, you can change Mozilla Thunderbird's mind and make your favorite email font the default font with which you start composing messages. Of course, you can change your mind mid-message — or change your mind more radically and choose a different default font again. It's easy.

Various letters on type blocks
Bill Dickinson / Sky Noir Photography / Getty Images

Change the Default Mozilla Thunderbird Message Font

To set your own default font for composing new messages in Mozilla Thunderbird:

  • Make sure each account is set to composing with HTML formatting
  • Select Tools > Options (or Thunderbird > Preferences... on a Mac) from the menu in Mozilla Thunderbird
  • Go to the Composition category
  • Make sure the General tab is selected
  • Choose the desired font, font size, and colors under HTML
  • Click Send Options...

Make sure either Ask me what to do, Send the message in HTML anyway or Send the message in both plain text and HTML is selected under When sending messages in HTML [...].

  • Click OK
  • Close the configuration dialog