option for Thunderbird not jumping to next message in message list after clicking “Download the rest of the message”

[DioMedea]

I am using Thunderbird with the setting “Download headers only.” When I open a message and click “Download the rest of the message”, Thunderbird downloads the full message but then automatically jumps to the next email in the message list instead of displaying the email I just downloaded.

This is unexpected and disruptive because I want to stay on the message to read it.

I have tried adjusting the following settings, but the behavior does not change:

• Close message window/tab on move or delete

• Automatically mark messages as read

• Various navigation settings in Config Editor

None of these affect the behavior. It seems Thunderbird treats the “download the rest of the message” action as a navigation event.

Expected behavior: Thunderbird should stay on the current message after downloading the full content.

Actual behavior: Thunderbird jumps to the next message in the list immediately after the download completes.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Enable “Download headers only” for an IMAP account.

2. Open a message that has not been fully downloaded.

3. Click “Download the rest of the message.”

4. Thunderbird loads the message, then automatically moves to the next one.

Request: Please add a preference or fix so that Thunderbird does not auto‑advance after downloading the rest of a message.

[Jon]

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[robbielink]

I'm surprised this was treated as a "new idea" or feature request. The behavior you expected was always the way Thunderbird behaved for me in all the many years I've used it. Until recently. Earlier this year it started advancing to the next message as soon as I clicked "download the rest of the message". I searched for bugs and found none listed but an update soon after that appeared to solve the problem. But then recently it has started again. Very frustrating!

Interestingly, a new laptop I just received and installed Ubuntu on w/ Thunderbird is not having that problem. It is only my Linux Mint desktop that is having the problem. Haven't had a chance to compare Thunderbird versions between the two, yet.

[tunnelkollektor]

Hallo,
ich kann dieses nervige Problem bestätigen. Es ist definitiv bei einem der letzten Updates mit rein gekommen. Bei Ubuntu 24.04 hatte ich auf eine ältere Thunderbird Version downgegradet. Nun aber nach einem (versehentlichen) Upgrade auf Ubuntu 26.04.1 und thunderbird 159.0 (64-Bit), taucht dieses ärgerliche Problem wieder auf.
Es scheint so zu sein, dass der Sicherheitsgewinn, den man hat, wenn unerwünschte Mails erst gar nicht auf der eigenen Festplatte landen, an der entsprechenden Entwickler-Stelle unbekannt ist.

[tunnelkollektor]

Hello,
I can confirm this annoying problem. It definitely crept in with one of the recent updates. With Ubuntu 24.04, I had downgraded to an older version of Thunderbird. But now, after an (accidental) upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04.1 and Thunderbird 159.0 (64-bit), this annoying problem has resurfaced.
It seems that the security benefit gained by preventing unwanted emails from ever landing on your hard drive in the first place is unknown to the relevant developers.

Hallo,
ich kann dieses nervige Problem bestätigen. Es ist definitiv bei einem der letzten Updates mit rein gekommen. Bei Ubuntu 24.04 hatte ich auf eine ältere Thunderbird Version downgegradet. Nun aber nach einem (versehentlichen) Upgrade auf Ubuntu 26.04.1 und thunderbird 159.0 (64-Bit), taucht dieses ärgerliche Problem wieder auf.
Es scheint so zu sein, dass der Sicherheitsgewinn, den man hat, wenn unerwünschte Mails erst gar nicht auf der eigenen Festplatte landen, an der entsprechenden Entwickler-Stelle unbekannt ist.