Thunderbird 52.0 released: find out what is new

Thunderbird 52.0 is out. The new version of the desktop email client for Windows, Mac and Linux devices was released on April 4, 2017 to the public.

The new version of the email client is a major new releases, as indicated by the version. It replaces the previous version Thunderbird 45.8.0.

Thunderbird installations and portable copies will pick up the new update eventually. You can check for updates with a click on Help > About Thunderbird. The new version may not be available yet via the automatic update system of the email client.

Thunderbird 52.0

The new version ships with a massive list of new features and changes. Probably the biggest change in the new version is a change in how images are handled by Thunderbird.

The way images are included in a compose window has changed. Images are now included as data URIs and not as references to parts of other messages or operating system files. This allows better interoperability with office packages such as MS Office or LibreOffice. Images linked from locations on the internet will no longer be downloaded and attached to the message automatically.

So, image links that point to Internet locations won't be downloaded anymore automatically by the email client. This should deal with tracking pixels attached to emails.

The team notes that images may be downloaded on a "per image" basis using the image properties dialog. Thunderbird users who want to restore the former status quo may do so as well:

1. Select Tools > Options.
2. Switch to the Advanced > General tab.
3. Select Config Editor there.
4. Use the search for to find mail.compose.attach_http_images.
5. Double-click on the preference to set it to true.

New features in Thunderbird 52.0

The following features are new additions, or improvements:

• Chat functionality has been improved. It supports direct messages, liking, and favoring on Twitter now. Also, support for Jabber/XMPP message carbons, and SASL SCRAM authentication mechanism added.
• Calendar events can be created and edited in a tab now.  Release notes mention "Processing of received invitation counter proposals" as well, but not sure what that means.
• Other: Becky Internet Mail settings may be imported now, and Thunderbird may remove data files that correspond to accounts when the account gets removed.
• Other: Folder pane toolbar, enable under View > Toolbars, to quick jump to folders. Also, option to copy message filters was added.

Changed features in Thunderbird 52.0

Several features were changed, or removed, in the new version of the desktop email client:

• The (relatively) new Correspondents column is enabled now for all new folders. You may turn off the feature by setting mail.threadpane.use_correspondents to false.
• When Thunderbird users reply to mailing lists, the reply is sent to the address in the from header, not the reply-to header.
• Pulse Audio is needed on Linux to play sound.
• IMAP caching uses new caching technology.
• IMAP folder messages read on external devices are filtered by default.
• Mbox storage folders larger than 4GB are supported without warning now.
• Yahoo Messenger support was removed.
• The Formatting Toolbar remains in place when the email deliver format is switched to Plain Text.

Fixes in Thunderbird 52.0

Quite a few issues were fixed in Thunderbird 52.0 as well:

• Message preview pane non-functional after IMAP folder was renamed or moved
• Editing in paragraph format: Pressing Shift+Enter sometimes doesn't move the cursor to the next line
• Various corrections when composing messages in paragraph format
• Paste as quotation doesn't always work
• Long lines in plain text replies not properly wrapped
• Undesired white-space before signature in paragraph mode
• When attachment unavailable, compose shows endless "Attaching..." message instead of error
• Text encoding of reply sometimes incorrect (uses encoding of last viewed message)
• Text encoding of message display, reply or forwarded message sometimes incorrect (uses encoding of attachment)
• Delivery Format not preserved for saved drafts (Auto-Detect|Plaintext|HTML|Both)
• Reply to own e-mail does not reply with the correct identity
• IMAP message part caching
• Links with escaped non-ASCII (international) characters can't be clicked
• Calendar: Events specified in timezone "local time" generate alerts in UTC time
• Chat: XMPP Resource collisions

Closing Words

The Thunderbird development team added several interesting privacy and security focused features to Thunderbird. First, the blocking of remote images on the Internet, and then the change in mailing list replies.

Release notes are here.

Now You: What's your impression of Thunderbird 52.0 so far? Do you use a different email client?