topic Re: Thunderbird Emails: Show attachments above not below - Status changed to: New idea in Discussions

return display of attachments to the side

slychiu — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:52:10 GMT

Please return the attachments to the side as it was in older versions. I am on 102.3.2 (32-bit). Displaying attachments at the bottom is a bad idea. It forces you to dhow the email in its own window or to increase the window size in order to see the attachment,. This is a pain!

Re: Thunderbird attachments

OC — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 09:20:06 GMT

Hi, I have the same problem with the last version : 102.7.2 (32 bits). It's a really pain!

Re: Thunderbird attachments

Pjatruha — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 16:38:38 GMT

I would like the developers to add the ability to select the location of attachments. For example, it would be more convenient for me to have attachments displayed at the top of the email immediately below the subject.

Thunderbird Emails: Show attachments above not below

Tomi-zilla — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 16:38:37 GMT

Email attachments are displayed at the bottom if any are present.
>> This bears a high risk that they will be overlooked! The larger the window, the greater the danger.

Strong recommendation: The display of attachments should be placed on top where the eyes are (similar to Outlook).

Re: Thunderbird Emails: Show attachments above not below - Status changed to: New idea

Jon — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 16:38:10 GMT

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

Re: Thunderbird attachments

RonGreenfield — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:09:05 GMT

Yes, I am having a lot of problems with the attachments (hidden) at the bottom. I am getting emails with written changes and edits in the body and I do those but Sometimes they also attach a file and since my attention is diverted by the email content. I never see the additional edits and changes. This is happening often. Can we at least change the font and size of the attachments at bottom to bigger and bolder and also the sign at the bottom that says "attachment" when the are attachments, Make that bigger bolder with color so you actually notice it!!!!

Re: Thunderbird Emails: Show attachments above not below

Agentvirtuel — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 18:10:23 GMT

Hello

https://forums.mozfr.org/viewtopic.php?p=948100
if you'd like to try this user interface layout
https://www.reddit.com/r/Thunderbird/comments/18czyk5/attachment_list_at_top_of_message_body

userChrome.css

#attachmentView { order: -1 !important; }

Re: Thunderbird attachments

Agentvirtuel — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 06:28:38 GMT

Hello

MoreLayouts
https://addons.thunderbird.net/thunderbird/addon/morelayouts

Is there any way to move the attachment list to the top of the message body?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Thunderbird/comments/18czyk5/attachment_list_at_top_of_message_body

userChrome.css

#attachmentView { order: -1 !important; background-color: #ADFF2F !important; font-weight: bold !important; } #attachmentList { background-color: PaleTurquoise !important; }

Other colors
https://www.w3schools.com/colors/colors_hex.asp

If you want the attachments pane expanded automatically
Configuration editor https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/config-editor
Search mailnews.attachments.display.start_expanded
Try value true and restart Thunderbird

Re: Thunderbird attachments

UserOfSoftware — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 07:15:22 GMT

We're now more than two years later, and I would still like to reiterate that having attachments at the bottom is a bad idea. I keep overlooking the attachments if they are not explicitly mentioned in the email itself.

Re: Thunderbird attachments

RonGreenfield — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 12:24:40 GMT

Yeah That has happened to me also, I am used to it now tho, but not in love with it.

Re: Thunderbird attachments

Alexoptimistic — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:15:45 GMT

Same here. I don't understand how this is not an option. And if it is a long chain of emails I have to scroll all they way down to see the attachments. Awful.

Re: Thunderbird attachments

noor101 — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 09:05:52 GMT

I agree, having attachments displayed at the bottom is less user-friendly. It adds extra steps just to preview or access files, especially on smaller screens or when multitasking. The sidebar view in older versions was much more efficient. Hopefully, the devs consider bringing back that layout as an option in future updates, as it made a big difference in usability

Improved Attachment Visibility in Thunderbird

Rekursivs — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 14:17:12 GMT

The default attachment visibility is quite poor and often leads to missed attachments.
Trying to figure out some improvements for myself, I would like to share what looks better than the default style, in my opinion. Improvements are surely welcome, but the most welcome would be a persistent improvement in the upcoming versions of Thunderbird - built in.

Here is my userChrome.css which makes attachments more visible. The list of main differences from the default design:

vertical layout, each attachment builds up a new row in the attachment panel (improves visibility of 2nd attachment, which is often missed)
minimal panel height (made for my particular display, probably needs relative size, not absolute, or custom adjustments for other displays) - makes panel obvious on larger screens, rather than a small strip in the bottom.
panel bgcolor matched to the other panel bgcolor, which makes it obviously stand out from the message body text and draws attention
attachment items with distinguishable bgcolor, rounded borders, hover and selected colors
heading above attachments + indentation of attachment items under the heading - which makes it look more professional, as well as standing out and drawing attention
changes to both - preview and compose window (attachmentList and attachmentBucket)

#attachmentList, #attachmentBucket { display: flex !important; flex-direction: column !important; align-items: stretch !important; gap: 0px !important; background: #F4F4F5; padding: 12px 14px !important; min-height: 160px !important; border: 1px solid #c0c0c0 !important; border-radius: 6px !important; box-shadow: 0 2px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.10); } #attachmentList::before, #attachmentBucket::before { content: "📎 Attachments"; display: block; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 600; color: #2a2a2a; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-family: "Segoe UI", Tahoma, sans-serif !important; } #attachmentList * { font-size: 18px !important; font-family: "Segoe UI", Tahoma, sans-serif !important; } .attachmentItem { margin: 0 !important; background-color: #E5E5E7 !important; padding: 4px 12px !important; color: #000000 !important; font-weight: 500 !important; margin-left: 26px !important; margin-bottom: 6px !important; border-radius: 4px !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; } .attachmentItem:hover { background-color: #d6e4f0 !important; color: #000000 !important; } .attachmentItem[selected="true"] { border: 1px solid #A1A1AA !important; }

Compose message attachments list example:

Preview message attachments example:

Re: Improved Attachment Visibility in Thunderbird - Status changed to: New idea

Jon — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 17:19:00 GMT

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

Re: Improved Attachment Visibility in Thunderbird - Status changed to: New idea

wsm — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 13:24:51 GMT

Thanks. I am merging this to the earlier contribution at https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/thunderbird-attachments/m-p/16035

Re: Thunderbird Emails: Show attachments above not below - Status changed to: New idea

wsm — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:49:24 GMT

Thanks. Merging this idea to https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/thunderbird-attachments/m-p/16035

Re: return display of attachments to the side

wsm — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:17:48 GMT

I have linked this idea to https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=304697