Are you by any chance using a Linux OS ?

The work around is to disable the noto color emoji font. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1458797

Found answer:

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1178430

comments say: OK, solve it. Well maybe a bug in TB, using Googles notoColorEmoji.ttf (https://github.com/googlei18n/noto-emoji) installed in .font folder (linux here) and having no other emoji style font files installed, notoEmoji-Regular.ttf or Symbola-emoji.tff causes this issue. installing one of the standard non-colour emoji fonts and the problem goes away, and so does your coloured emojis. TB seems to use the standard version in perference to the color version font file

This work for me thanks. I had to place the file notoColorEmoji.ttf into the directory /usr/share/fonts/truetype/noto though. I'm running Ubuntu Linux 18.04 (dev) with Thunderbird 52.6.0 .

Yes I'm using Linux Ubuntu 18.04.1LTS! I'm opening a terminal and following your line instructions but am not quite sure on line end return positions and why I start a new command (will@will-HP-Compaq-dc7700-Convertible-Minitower:~$) line and also many (bash: noto/: No such file or directory) messages to my inputs! So I'm thrashing around somewhat blind, and no further forward! Will

The 'notoColorEmoji.ttf' file should be in the ~/.fonts/ directory Move it to : /usr/share/fonts/truetype/noto directory

good info update: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1390015#c13 Also...Comment 55 mentions that Thunderbird version 60 should have fixed the issue. You can get a download of 60 from here: https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/

Hi Thanks for that "over the top of my head I'm afraid" I've downloaded the TB package but at a loss how I install from the package folder "I'm a self taught in ignorance user, with limited previous under the bonnet stuff on that unmentionable Bill Gates stuff some years ago! Will

willman said

Hi Thanks for that "over the top of my head I'm afraid" I've downloaded the TB package but at a loss how I install from the package folder "I'm a self taught in ignorance user, with limited previous under the bonnet stuff on that unmentionable Bill Gates stuff some years ago! Will

If you can not get by with the instructions here https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/installing-thunderbird-linux Then you might just have to put up with it until your repository releases the new version of Thunderbird. I am sure it will be soon.

BRILLIANT took a bit of working around on 3 machines BUT SORTED FINE NOW THANKS SO MUCH! Cheers Will