Thunderbird desktop in mobile mode on Linux: installation and configuration [how to]

Thunderbird is a free and open-source email client developed by Mozilla. It provides a feature-rich and customizable experience for managing emails, contacts, and calendars, making it a popular choice among Linux users.

If you want to run the desktop version of Thunderbird in a mobile-friendly mode on Linux, you can use the mobile-config-thunderbird package. This configuration enhances Thunderbird’s usability on touchscreen devices by optimizing the interface for small screens. Developed by Dylan Van Assche, a trusted contributor to postmarketOS, this package allows Thunderbird to better adapt to mobile environments.

Below are installation instructions for various Linux distributions:

1. postmarketOS

The mobile-config-thunderbird package is available in the postmarketOS repositories. To install it, run:

sudo apk update
sudo apk add mobile-config-thunderbird

After installation, launch Thunderbird, and it should automatically apply the mobile-friendly interface.

2. Debian-based systems (Mobian, Droidian)

Since Mobian and Droidian are based on Debian, you can manually install the mobile configuration:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git make zip

# Clone the repository
git clone https://gitlab.postmarketos.org/postmarketOS/mobile-config-thunderbird.git
cd mobile-config-thunderbird

# Build and install
make
sudo make install

Once installed, open Thunderbird, and the mobile configuration should be applied.

3. Arch-based systems (Manjaro, Arch Linux)

For Arch-based distributions, you can manually build and install the package:

sudo pacman -Syu
sudo pacman -S git base-devel

# Clone the repository
git clone https://gitlab.postmarketos.org/postmarketOS/mobile-config-thunderbird.git
cd mobile-config-thunderbird

# Build and install
make
sudo make install

After completing these steps, launch Thunderbird, and it should display the mobile-optimized interface.

Notes

• Ensure you have the necessary development tools installed (make, zip, git, and base-devel for Arch-based systems) before proceeding.
• If you experience issues, check the project’s GitLab page for updates and troubleshooting.
• Always back up your Thunderbird profile before making major changes.

For more details and updates, refer to the official mobile-config-thunderbird GitLab repository.