As Thunderbird remembers the sate of the last window, I suggest you change the state of the window to something other than full screen and close it.

Matt, Thanks for trying, I really appreciate it. But as a teacher, I exchange e-mails with my students on a daily basis (college students). With Thunderbird at its usual beautiful size, I closed Thunderbird, and reopened it, per your instructions, no improvement. Write or reply to an e-mail and it goes to full screen. By "closing it", I though perhaps you meant for me to close the application, then reopen it. Same results. It is no better. BTW, in case you might wonder why this is so vitally important, when it goes to full screen, if the new e-mail I need to write is to an e-mail address not in my address book, I'm screwed. And the only way to get OUT of the Full screen is to send a new e-mail to ....... me? After clicking on SEND, then full screen returns to its original size. That is why this is a serious problem for me now.

I look forward to hearing more, for I really want to stay with Thunderbird, and I still feel that my recent contribution was worth every dollar, and plan to continue making contributions, as long as this "full screen curse" is solved. Bill Elliott (williamelliott34@webster.edu)0

Any news? To show you the curse of auto-full screen, I was replying to a student needing help. I want to find a website, so that I could send her a link. Can't do that anymore, since I can't minimize an e-mail in progress any more. I won't be able to search the internet while writing an e-mail.

Please help.

Bill Elliott

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_or_windows_layout_not_working

The article suggests a number of steps that might fix your problem. Select Help/Troubleshooting Information, click Open Folder to show the profile folder in your file manager, close TB, and delete or rename certain profile files. I suggest xulstore.json and session.json for a start.

Sorry, I'm not a computer expert. I just teach college physics.

Another solution, more friendly please.

Can you show us a screen shot of your full-screen window? It does seem that the composition window is what is causing you grief. This is where we write new messages and replies, and ordinarily it would have all the usual controls to allow it to be maximised, minimised and re-sized. I'm guessing from your description of your difficulties that you don't have these controls in the composition window.

There is a repetitive but low volume stream of queries about how to get Thunderbird out of full screen mode, and this is a bit of a puzzle because Thunderbird doesn't formally have a full screen mode. The reset actions suggested by sfhowes would be the best bet for clearing such a problem.

There is also a small but repetitive list of mac users using the walnut theme that run into window control issues every release. Perhaps you are one of those and need to simple restart Thunderbird with add-ons disabled from the help menu.

Zenos and Matt, If only I had any idea of what "sfhowes" was, or the "walnut theme" might be. But per your request, I'll attach a Preview capture of what my computer looks like when replying to an e-mail takes over the entire screen.

Let me mention here, again, that I can no longer assist my students in any e-mail reply, by searching the Internet for a site, capturing the link, and pasting it into any e-mail since.....I can no longer go to the Internet while Thurnderbird takes over my full screen, during any e-mail reply or while writing a new e-mail.

I first thought I'd love Thunderbird, and I did for about a week. Now it's a total nightmare.

Until you get the TB problem fixed, why not use Command-Tab to cycle between your browser window and TB? That should work even if TB is 'full screen'.

The Command-Tab DOES actually put Chrome on top of the Full Screen of the current e-mail. That is a MAJOR step in the right direction. I've already sent a link to one of my students.

Now we will know that Mission IS Accomplished once we learn how to STOP TB from ""automatically"" going to full screen every time I write a new e-mail, or reply to one.

AND, by the way, what the h*!! is "do you want to compact your files?" I've not found any information on TB about that, yet that prompt keeps asking, even if I click "don't ask again", but it will.

elliott937 said

AND, by the way, what the h*!! is "do you want to compact your files?" I've not found any information on TB about that, yet that prompt keeps asking, even if I click "don't ask again", but it will.

See the 3rd section and cited links under 'Routine usage' here:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keep_it_working_(Thunderbird)

Thank you for sending me a link to the detailed instructions on compacting folders. Once the Forced Full Screen problem is solved, I will read the full set of articles. But until the Forced Full Screen problem is solved, all other issues are low on the "importance scale".

Any news on how to get the stupid Full Screen e-mail window closed, by us, the users? Even though I now know how to bring Chrome up OVER the top of Full Screen e-mail, I still cannot use my computer until after I actually send an e-mail. This remains as just plain wrong.

As already suggested, you should try the steps mentioned above. Instead of deleting xulstore.json directly, you can achieve the same result by launching TB in safe mode (Help/Restart with add-ons disabled, or hold Option key when you launch TB), then selecting 'Reset toolbars and controls' and clicking 'Make changes and restart'.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1199327#answer-1063618

Permit me to share this bit of information. A former student of mine installed Thunderbird on Friday, September 28. For more than a week, perhaps more, it worked (to my knowledge) perfectly. When writing a new e-mail, or responding to an e-mail, my iMac NEVER EVER went to full screen. Never. Then, all of a sudden, hell seemed to break lose, hence Full Screen was automatic....when replying to an e-mail, or initiating a new e-mail. Let's put the 'blame' on my shoulders. Is there a toolbar 'something' I, as a newbie, could have clicked on, telling TB to --always-- go to full screen without asking?

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you tell me there is. I must consider that I could be the one who brought on the wrath of hell onto myself.

You have been asked repeatedly to use safe mode? what has been the result of that action?

Forgive me for saying, but I fell in love with TB in the first week, until hell broke loose. That said, permit me to express an opinion here, if I taught my class the same way "things" are stated here, I'd be fired. Why do I say that? Matt, I want almost clicked on "Mark it as solved". But I have to assume that clicking that terminates my ability to ask more questions. Hence, click on "This doesn't solve my problem", but your suggestion just did....I think. I clicked on Help-Restart with add-on disabled. [I never added anything on, so I'm disabling something I've never added on??] That said, I followed your directions, but ..............with no additional directions, I saw "Disable All Add-Ons" and "Reset Tool Bars and Controls". Should I have assumed to click on both of those? And perhaps I've just made bad mistakes, but since you wanted me to click on "Disable all add-ons", I also clicked on "Reset Tool Bars and Controls".

You see, as a teacher, I never like to let a single doubt exist in the minds of my students, yet here I am, acting with definite doubts.

Clicking solved marks the thread with the question as solved. It is supposed to be a time saver for time poor executives that really have no time to learn or do.

It depends on what you teach, but usually good teaching practice is to give the student the tools and the knowledge to do the job. Not all the knowledge. Sufficient to do the job. How they expand on that basic sample will sort them into the good and the not so good.

Likewise this support forum is a place where you can get ideas that may solve your problem for somewhat more experienced users. Unlike apple we do not charge a premium for the product and offer an "expert bar" where the ignorant can go and have all their problems fixed for them for a fee. There just is not a funding stream. So we offer pointers and self help articles. It is very unlikely that anyone will have the time or inclination to check if you know how to use your operating system (Command + Tab) or that you understand simplistic computer terms.

Basically we will try and help you, but you also have to help yourself.