How to install Thunderbird on Linux?


Thunderbird is a free and open-source email client developed by Mozilla Foundation. It comes with multiple features such as built-in do not track and remote content blocking which ensures the safety and security of a user’s data. This application can also be used as a chat client, RSS, and news client app.

Most of the Linux distributions come preinstalled with the Thunderbird application. You can use the steps given below if you want to install it on your system.

Install thunderbird using a package manager

A package manager is software used for easy management of packages on a Linux system. It can be used for tasks like installing, removing, or upgrading software packages in a system.

Installing thunderbird using a package manager in a few distributions are given below.

To install thunderbird in Debian/Ubuntu/Linux Mint use –

sudo apt install thunderbird -y

If you want to install it on RHEL/ CentOS 7/8 use –

sudo yum install thunderbird -y

Use the following command to install Thunderbird on Fedora –

sudo dnf install thunderbird -y

If you are using any other distribution then please refer to its official documentation.

How to install thunderbird using .tar.bz2 file

First, download the thunderbird*.tar.bz2 archive file from its official website. This method of installation will probably work on any Linux distribution but you have to manually extract it somewhere and the updates are also not easy.

Now use the following steps to install Thunderbird from a .tar.bz2 archive file –

1. Unpack the downloaded Thunderbird package to the directory where you want to install it by using –

tar xvjf thunderbird-*.tar.bz2 -C <location>

According to FHS(File Hierarchy Standard), the recommended directory for installation of a software package in Linux is /opt/ so we will use –

sudo tar xvjf thunderbird-*.tar.bz2 -C /opt/

2. After extracting navigate to the extracted directory using –

cd thunderbird

3. Now use the following command to install the package –

./configure
make
sudo make install

Thunderbird is now installed on your system. You can set up your existing email or create a new one. When you first time open this application it will look something like this –

Using add-ons for thunderbird

Add-ons are extensions and themes that can be used to extend the features or customization of thunderbird applications. Once the thunderbird application is downloaded and installed, you can download the add-ons and apply them to this application.

How to remove thunderbird from your system

If you want to remove thunderbird from your system you should use the following command in your terminal –

sudo apt remove thunderbird

Press y and then enter if it asks for confirmation.

Conclusion

Thunderbird application is now ready for use. Now if you have any thoughts on this then write us in the comments below.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.