[Fixed]: Hyperlinks in Messages are not Working in Thunderbird [2025]

Are you troubled by how Hyperlinks in Messages are not Working in Thunderbird? Well, such non-functional hyperlinks can be troublesome and disrupt the seamless workflow. Therefore, if you are looking for a solution to this issue, here is the respective blog. Go through the blog till the end to get a complete solution to fix the hyperlinks not working in Thunderbird error. Additionally, get to know about MBOX to PST Converter, in case you are switching from Thunderbird to Outlook.

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About Thunderbird!

Thunderbird is an email client that operates on a desktop. To use Thunderbird, you need to download the application on your Desktop rather than accessing it on the Web. Its core purpose is to manage email, news feeds, chat, and news groups across different platforms smoothly. Additionally, being an open-source software, users can download and use Thunderbird for free or even modify source code following the license terms. Thus, it is one of the most popularly used email clients worldwide. 

Links In Thunderbird

Among other remarkable features, is the ability to access associated web pages or online resources directly via email hyperlinks. But sometimes users face issues like- Hyperlinks in Messages are not Working in Thunderbird. Why do such problems occur and what could be the possible solution to get rid of this? Let us begin with discussing causes.

Why are Hyperlinks not Working in Messages?

Here are some of the common reasons for non-functional hyperlinks in Thunderbird:

• Thunderbird depends on the default browser to open links. Opening hyperlinks can be cumbersome if browser settings are misconfigured.
• Users can customize how to handle links in Thunderbird. When these Link configuration settings are not properly set, such issues occur.
• Sometimes interference of Add-ons or extensions installed in Thunderbird can disrupt its functionalities and prevent accessing hyperlinks. 
• Several factors can cause corrupt preference settings in Thunderbird. This also results in hyperlinks not working in Thunderbird.
• An outdated version of Thunderbird may have compatibility issues that can affect the functioning of hyperlinks.

These were the possible reasons causing Thunderbird’s in-message hyperlink functioning error. Now, let us explore solutions to fix this issue.

Fix- Hyperlinks in Messages are not Working in Thunderbird

Depending on the cause of the issue of Hyperlinks not Working in Messages, we will discuss respective solutions. Do as instructed in different methods to resolve the problem.

Update Thunderbird to the Latest Version

As stated earlier, an outdated version of Thunderbird may be incompatible with various functions of Thunderbird. Thus, can also be the cause of non-functional hyperlinks. Therefore, it is important to up-to-date the Thunderbird application. Follow the steps below:

1. Launch Thunderbird on your system.
2. Go to the Help section.
3. From the Help menu, click on About Thunderbird. 
4. The program will auto-detect for the new update. If found, follow the prompts and install the new updated Thunderbird. 

Once you have successfully installed the latest version of Thunderbird, restart it. Check if the hyperlinks in Thunderbird not opening issue has been fixed. 

Check and Correct Default Browser Settings

Thunderbird uses your default browser when you click on Hyperlink to access the associated webpage. However, due to incorrect browser settings, Thunderbird cannot choose the default browser to open the link. In such cases, you need to reset the default browser settings. 

You can set any of the following as your default browser based on your preferences – Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, or Google Chrome. Further, restart Thunderbird and try accessing the link. 

Has the ‘Hyperlinks in Messages are not Working in Thunderbird’ issue been fixed? If not, move to the following solution. 

Turn Off Faulty Add-ons or Extensions

Sometimes, specific add-ons may create conflicts with Thunderbird’s link settings. So, to resolve this issue, you need to find the one causing Hyperlinks not Working in Messages. Further, because there is no direct way to determine faulty add-ons, manually disable them one by one. Then, restart Thunderbird to check if the problem is resolved. 

Follow the below steps to run Thunderbird in safe mode. This will help you address if the problem is caused due to faulty add-ons:

1. Start Thunderbird and go to the Thunderbird menu on the right-top.
2. Click on Help and then choose the Troubleshoot Mode option.
3. Next, click on Restart. Troubleshoot mode temporarily disabled all Add-ons.
4. Choose to Disable all Add-Ons (permanently) and restart Thunderbird.

If links work in Safe mode, this means the Hyperlinks in Messages are not Working in Thunderbird issue is caused by faulty add-ons.

Verify the HTTP Content-Type

In Thunderbird, you can specify the action that will occur when you click on attachments or email contents. However, if you choose the wrong action, it can cause problems and result in non-functional hyperlinks. To resolve this issue, review and modify the settings by following these steps:

1. Open Thunderbird >> click on Preferences.
2. Go to the Content section.
3. Select File Types under the Content Type column.

Under the Content Type column, if you see HTTP or HTTPS you can:

• Delete the selected action entirely.
• Set the correct specified action.

These settings may help you fix ‘Hyperlinks in Messages are not Working in Thunderbird.’ Further, your links will open smoothly in Thunderbird.

Check for Modified Preferences

Incorrect or modified hidden preferences can also cause ‘Hyperlinks not Working in Messages’. These modifications may be the result of a new add-on installation or other. To verify this-

1. Open Thunderbird and go to Help.
2. Access Troubleshooting Information from the Help menu
3. Scroll down and go to Important Modified Preferences. 
4. Within this section, find the ‘protocol-handler.external-default’ setting. 

If you see the value False, it indicates that hidden preferences have been changed.  

To fix this problem, you need to revert these changes. Follow the steps:

1. Open Thunderbird and click on ☰ it, at the top-right. 
2. From the drop-down menu, select Settings.
3. In the Settings window, under General, click Config Editor (page bottom).
4. Type ‘network.protocol-handler.external-default’ in the search bar.
5. Next, select the corresponding entry from the list. Further, right-click on the entry and choose the Reset option.

Hence, the modified preferences have been set. Check if all issues related to the hyperlinks in Thunderbird not opening are resolved.

Does none of the above solutions fix the hyperlinking issue of Thunderbird? This is an exceptional situation. Well, in that case, you must Export Thunderbird to Outlook. However, manual processes can lead to complicated and hectic migrations. Especially after trying so many manual methods to fix non-functional hyperlinks. Therefore, the best-suggested way to export MBOX files to Outlook PST is using DRS MBOX to PST Converter. This software is the quickest way to migrate Thunderbird data to Outlook PST. Moreover, it is easy to use and compatible with all Windows OS. Download a free demo version of the tool, to try and test its functionalities. 

Conclusion

The above-discussed methods are sufficient enough to fix the ‘Hyperlinks in Messages are not Working in Thunderbird’ issue. However, you need to opt for the appropriate troubleshooting solution as per the cause of the issue. If the problem persists, switch to Outlook.

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