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Thunderbird Not Opening Links in Emails? Try These Fixes

  author
Published By Karen Chard 
Rollins Duke
Approved By Rollins Duke
Published On January 23rd, 2026
Reading Time 6 Min Read

Overview: If your Thunderbird not opening links that are in emails and other associated data then this page is the best guide for you to fix Hyperlinks not working in Thunderbird error. We will discuss some reliable techniques to easily open those attached hyperlinks.

Such non-functional hyperlinks can cause trouble and disrupt the seamless workflow. Many Thunderbird users have encountered Thunderbird not opening links while they are clicking on any hyperlink attached to their emails and it does not work.

Those inaccessible links in Thunderbird can prevent users from opening email attachments, accessing embedded web content, or completing important tasks. It ultimately disrupts the workflow and communication.

In this blog, we will discuss manual as well as professional ways to fix Thunderbird not opening links error. Let us get started and know the best solution.

Causes of Thunderbird not Opening Links

There can be multiple reasons that may lead to failure for Thunderbird to open some links, below are some common ones listed:

  • Incorrect default browser settings.
  • Incorrect link handling configurations.
  • Outdated Thunderbird versions.
  • Corrupted Thunderbird’s preferences settings.
  • Interference due the recently installed add-ons.

Method 1: Update Latest Version to Fix Thunderbird not Opening Links

An outdated version of Thunderbird may be incompatible with several functions of the Thunderbird and may affect existing hyperlinks and make them inaccessible.

  1. First of all, open Thunderbird on your system.
  2. Now, go to the Help section.
  3. Now, from the Help menu, click on About Thunderbird .
  4. The program will auto-detect for any new update, if found install it carefully.

Once the latest version of Thunderbird is successfully installed, restart it and check if the Thunderbird not opening links issue is resolved or not.

Method 2: Check and Correct the Default Browser Settings

Thunderbird uses a browser as a default. When you click on the hyperlink it opens in a particular browser without even asking for your permission. You can check if changing the default browser resolves Thunderbird not opening links.

  1. First of all, open System settings on your computer.
  2. Now go to the Default Apps.
  3. Now, choose any of the other browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
  4. Set it as a default browser
  5. Once you have changed the default browser, you can restart the Thunderbird application and check if it’s working or not.

Method 3: Check for Incorrect Preference

Sometimes Thunderbird not opening links because of modified and incorrect hidden preferences. Such issues can occur due to the installation of new add-ons or other reasons.

  1. First of all, open Thunderbird
  2. Click on Tools from the menu and select Settings from the drop-down.
  3. Choose General and click on Config Editor, located at the bottom of the page.
  4. Now, type netword.protocol-handler.external-default in the search field and select the entries from the list.
  5. Lastly, right-click on it and select the Reset option.

Method 4: Check HTTP Content Type

Check the link’s HTTP and HTTPS, sometimes the links that are saved in our attachments and that we receive are not safe. Hence, it creates a problem while opening it.

  1. First of all, open Thunderbird, and click on the Preferences.
  2. Now, go to the Content section.
  3. Under the Content Type column, select File Types.

When you see the HTTP or HTTPS listed under the Content Type Column, there are two options to perform, You can either delete the selected action altogether. or you can ensure that the chosen action is correctly set. By these actions, you can ensure that your links open without facing any issues.

Method 5: Disable Add-ons Temporarily

Some extensions and themes may make the link inaccessible:

  1. Open Thunderbird and click on the Menu.
  2. click on Help option and then Troubleshoot Mode.
  3. Now, restart your Thunderbird and test all the hyperlinks.
  4. If links start opening, enable add-ons one by one to find the cause.

Method 6: Check Thunderbird’s Internal Storage

This can be the reason and if you want to confirm it you can check the link-handling settings in Thunderbird itself.

  1. Firstly open Thunderbird on your system.
  2. Now, click on the Menu and then click on Settings.
  3. Now, scroll down and open Config Editor and search for
    netword.protocol-handler.external.http
    netword.protocol-handler.external.https
  4. Lastly, make sure to set the both of them as true.

Method 7: Best Solution to Fix Thunderbird not Opening Links

RecoveryTools Thunderbird Migrator is one of the best tools to get rid of hyperlinks not working in Thunderbird error. This tool helps you to convert your entire Thunderbird data into compatible formats or to be accessed into other platforms.

This method not only makes invalid links accessible but also transforms your Thunderbird data if there is any email or attachments corrupted. It offers multiple advanced features that helps users to access their links smoothly.

What are the Steps to Use this Solution

  1. First of all, download the solution on your system, open it and click on the Next button.
    install to fix thunderbird not opening links
  2. Choose any of the options as per requirements to load Thunderbird files into the panel and click on the Next.
    load files to fix thunderbird not opening links
  3. Preview entirely uploaded data carefully before proceeding to the conversion.
    preview to thunderbird not opening links
  4. Choose any saving options from the Select Saving Option list.
    select folders
  5. At last, choose the destination path and click on Next button to complete the process.
    process completed

Advanced Features Offered by this Solution

  • Convert Thunderbird data to PST, PDF, CSV, EML, EMLX, TXT etc. completely.
  • Allows users to migrate Thunderbird to Outlook, Gmail, office 365, Yahoo, and other email platforms.
  • Allows users to convert even corrupted or invalid links and data present into the email files and folders.
  • Offers users to use quick and safe steps to get rid of Thunderbird not opening links error permanently.
  • Keep all the 100% safe and secure and prioritize the safety of the data present in Thunderbird.

Conclusion

In conclusion to this blog, we discussed some best methods to fix Thunderbird not opening links error. We talked about both manual as well as professional methods. Users can choose any of them according to their requirements. Manual methods are performed in the application itself and on the other hand, professional solution is an application that directly transforms your entire data including emails, attachments, links to get rid of Hyperlinks not working in thunderbird.

You can get in touch with our Technical support Team if you need any assistance or help during this entire process.