In the menu, IIRC, under View|Layout you'll find a checkbox to select the message count feature.

No menu? Press alt.

No, not on mine - see attached image

Please, advise. Thank you

Your screenshot shows Folder Pane Columns. Have you tried clicking that on?

Yes, I checked "Folder Pane Columns" and I un-checked it

That makes zero difference to my problem

If you still have the add on Extra Folder Columns you need to uninstall that. This feature is now built into Ver. 38.

This is from the Add on page for Extra Columns.

In Thunderbird 38.1.0, Folder Pane Columns is a built-in feature. If you run with the traditional menu bar (selections at the very top of the window), the option is View | Layout | Folder Pane Columns . If you use the application menu (an icon of three horizontal lines near the upper right of the window), the option is Options | Layout | Folder Pane Columns . In some localizations, it might be Preferences | Layout | Folder Pane Columns . But note that under the application menu, the Layout option is *not* under View.

I do not have that installed

Can you clarify something because I think we're not quite nailed the issue.

re: Folders called 'Marketing' and 'Networking' as an example This is what your image tells me.

Marketing: this has an arrow to the left, so indicates that this is a folder with subfolders. It also has (1) next to folder, so this means the folder 'Marketing' actually has one unread email, not it's subfolders. It is also blue coloured so this tells me you have not checked that folder since the arrival of the new unread mail. If you then select that folder you should find it contains one new unread message. The folder colour should then change to black and when you read the unread email in that folder, the number will also disappear. However, If the folder remains in bold black, this means there are subfolders with unread mail. If it changes to black but not bold then there are no more unread messages in that folder or its subfolders.

Networking: this has an arrow to the left, so indicates that this is a folder with subfolders. It has no number in brackets next to folder, so this means the folder 'Networking' actually has no unread email,. But it is also blue coloured so this tells me you have not checked that folder since the arrival of new unread mail which should be in one of it's subfolders because there's no actual number next to Networking folder. Expanding the folder would immediately show the subfolder containing the unread mail, it will also have the number beside it.

I think you are saying that you expected the 'Networking' folder, not just to be blue indicating to you that it's subfolders contain unread new message(s), or even bold black indicating you have accessed that folder but there are still unread emails in subfolders, but to also show the accumulated unread number even though that folder itself does not have any new emails.

A collapsed mail account will display a number in brackets eg: (*21) the star before the number meaning 21 unread in various folders.

Test Run: Created a new top level folder in Local Folders. It contains no emails. Call it 'Techo'. I added a subfolder called ' SubTecho' and put an email in it and marked it as 'unread' I then collapsed, so only seeing the top level 'Techo' folder. Result: 'Techo' folder is bold black font and I see (*1) next to it.

added an email to top level Techo and marked as unread. Result: Techo (*2) This sounds like what you expected to see. So that functionality is there.

I'm currently using latest version 38.1.0 What version are you currently running?

If you are already running the most up to date version, please test in Thunderbird Safe Mode. In thunderbird Help > Restart with add-ons disabled'

please report back on results.

Done some more testing now that i've replicated what you expect to see. I notice that if you have the 'unified' view then : Techo(1) > SubTecho(1)

and when collapsed: Techo(1) not Techo (*2) as expected

So please check this: 'View' > 'Folders' > select 'All

I just read these updates.

I'm at the office now and my Thunderbird is at home.

At this time, I can say that your version number looks identical to mine - can't be 100% until I am at that screen - and it is the update that came out last week, which is the latest GA version, AFAIK

I will test View|Folders|Select All tonight and report back here

Thank you

~ Mike

Yes, View|Folders|All fixed this

I can now see the number of unread messages in folders many levels deep

Thank you