Repository navigation
The Thunderbird Addons page for uBO is still on v1.49.2 #2928
Description
Prerequisites
- I verified that this is not a filter list issue. Report any issues with filter lists or broken website functionality in the uAssets issue tracker.
- This is NOT an issue with YouTube, Facebook or Twitch.
- This is not a support issue or a question. For support, questions, or help, visit /r/uBlockOrigin.
- I performed a cursory search of the issue tracker to avoid opening a duplicate issue.
- The issue is not present after disabling uBO in the browser.
- I checked the documentation to understand that the issue I am reporting is not normal behavior.
I tried to reproduce the issue when...
- uBO is the only extension.
- uBO uses default lists and settings.
- using a new, unmodified browser profile.
Description
By following the Thunderbird "Get the Add-On" button on https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/blob/master/README.md, which indeed leads to the correct destination, it appears the uBO version on that page is listed as 1.49.2 and is shown as last updated in April. https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases shows that Thunderbird uBO builds continue to be built, so the Add-ons page would presumably need an update to reflect that.
I am all too aware that Mozilla's work on Thunderbird has been very messy (potentially affecting their add-on store as well), and that it's as such anyone's guess how fast their approval process for 1.53.0 or later would be, but I feel it's worth a try to submit an update.
A specific URL where the issue occurs.
https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-gb/thunderbird/addon/ublock-origin/
Steps to Reproduce
- Visit https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-gb/thunderbird/addon/ublock-origin/, which is the official page on Thunderbird's Add-Ons store for uBO.
- See that the version number is listed as 1.49.2, and that the "Last Updated" info is shown as 28 April 2023.
Screenshot from Chrome:
- Installing uBO directly into Thunderbird from visiting that page within Thunderbird itself, and going to uBO's settings → About, shows it's indeed v1.49.2.
Expected behavior
uBO on Thunderbird's Add-Ons subdomain gets updated at least once every 2 or 3 months or so.
Actual behavior
uBO on Thunderbird's Add-Ons subdomain has not been updated for around 6 months or so at the time of writing.
uBO version
1.49.2
Browser name and version
Thunderbird (Supernova?) 115.4.1 x64
Operating System and version
Windows 11 22H2 x64, with all monthly patches that I'm aware of
Activity
gorhill commentedon Nov 5, 2023
I don't have enough time to get to the bottom of this. Whoever wants this issue fixed is welcome to figure out the issue.
Yes,
_locales/en/messages.jsonis in there in case you ask.DandelionSprout commentedon Nov 5, 2023
I am above-average surprised that Thunderbird's stable release log went straight from 102 to 115 (https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/releases/). It wouldn't be super-easy for me to test 102 (let alone 91), but if I do get a moment of energy, I can see if Windows Sandbox is suited for me to do tests.
1.49.2 certainly works in 115; I haven't tested 1.52.2 sideloaded in 115 just yet.
krystian3w commentedon Nov 5, 2023
This mode of updating has been in place for more than 8 years, a major update every 12 months or so, and the main base is part of the Firefox ESR code.
Releases with a number other than ESR are betas/dev/nightly (daily) by around the fourth quarter of 2024 1. Since then, there has been a revolution, and every 5-6 weeks there is a new version.
Footnotes
https://blog.thunderbird.net/2025/03/thunderbird-release-channel-update/ ↩
gorhill commentedon Nov 5, 2023
I'm still on 102.9.1.
DandelionSprout commentedon Nov 7, 2023
I've now got uBO 1.53.1rc1 to work in Thunderbird 91.13.1 x64 with no significant installation problems, at least. Note that I only do permanent extension installations, and honestly didn't even know temporary extensions were a thing that was possible.
Details
I'll test in Thunderbird 102 within 10min or so.
DandelionSprout commentedon Nov 7, 2023
I think it's pretty safe to assume by this point that a Thunderbird Add-Ons update submission can be done, as I got it to work in 102.15.1 too:
Details
muelsyse-az commentedon Aug 1, 2024
Any updates on this?
vitusb commentedon Apr 6, 2025
Hi there ...
There is still an old version of "ublock_origin-1.49.2-tb.xpi", when using an update URL of:
"https://addons.thunderbird.net/thunderbird/downloads/latest/ublock-origin/latest.xpi"
... for "thunderbird-128.9.1esr" !
We still get "ublock_origin-1.49.2-tb.xpi" ????!!!!
The problem is, that the update-mechanism uses a unique url, forwarding allways to the latest package-version release (see above). I cannot hack this github-url into the "policies.json" in order load allways the latest package like ..../latest/thunderbird/latest.xpi ! Or is there a trick ?
The version for firefox is up-to-date:
The latest version of uBO works fine in TB 128.91.esr (as of: 20250406) ...
Do you know, why not providing the latest version on "addons.thunderbird.net" ?
Does the error above belongs to an issue, filed here:
Best regards,
vitusb
celenityy commentedon Jul 7, 2025
@gorhill Are there any updates on this?
If not, would you at least consider providing a URL that always points to the latest
.xpirelease (ex. likehttps://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/downloads/latest/uBlock0@raymondhill.net/latest.xpidoes for Firefox)? That would make it easier for users to find and install the latest version, and it's especially important for ex. enterprise and other situations; as instead of requiring the URL to be manually updated, it would always point to the latest version of uBo.krystian3w commentedon Sep 19, 2025
Gorhill decided to withdraw from creating an XPI file with modifications for Thunderbird: gorhill/uBlock@e016a63
New file should found here: https://github.com/celenityy/uBird?tab=readme-ov-file#ubird (aka #3802) (older fork
https://github.com/celenityy/uBlockis no longer available to ordinary mortals (deleted, renamed without alias or hidden as private)), last one wide public at gorhill releases is https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/tag/1.66.0If someone does not browse RSS feeds in TB and does not use, for example:
Then there is no emergency protection against tracking pixels/frames, or smuggled JavaScript files in e-mails (if someone has allowed external sources to be loaded).
compuguy commentedon Sep 20, 2025
Based on @krystian3w response this issue is essentially OBE (overcome by events; moot) then?
DandelionSprout commentedon Sep 21, 2025
While I was able to add more-up-to-date info on Thunderbird installation to the Gorhill uBlock repo's readme some weeks ago (
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/commit/b0ce6b6ac77a681f35459fd42bd877bc35eb9a0f/https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/download/1.66.0/uBlock0_1.66.0.thunderbird.xpi), krystian's explanation above seems spot-on to me, so indeed it seems moot now.krystian3w commentedon Sep 21, 2025
Perhaps the problem is specific GNU/Linux distro, which stuck with the ESR 91/102 branch for too long, when 115 and then 128 came out, with stable rapid releases every 5 weeks alongside ESR at end of 2024.
celenityy commentedon Sep 21, 2025
To confirm: @gorhill Do you mind sharing the future plans for uBO’s Thunderbird support? Do you intend on keeping the Thunderbird script in the repo?
I’m disappointed by the change to drop Thunderbird builds from the CI; I’d prefer support to be added back upstream, but if that’s not viable or something you are interested in, I’ll continue creating/packaging my own builds for Thunderbird (since I definitely need this for Dove, and I’m sure other Thunderbird users could benefit as well).
krystian3w commentedon Sep 21, 2025
As far as I'm concerned, without the ability to filter email content, #1839 is not very useful.
gorhill commentedon Sep 23, 2025
I just do not have the time to test the Thunderbird and npm package, and because of this I removed the packages -- I do not want to publish packages which I am unable to test on a regular basis. I minimally manually test all packages I release, and I am unable to find the time to do this for Thunderbird and npm.
If someone wants to volunteer of testing any of those packages I will be willing to reinstate them in the automated build.
celenityy commentedon Sep 25, 2025
@gorhill That’s valid. What does the testing process usually entail? I’m willing to volunteer to help for Thunderbird releases, assuming that automated builds and ATN releases would be restored.
Adifagos commentedon Nov 4, 2025
Has any agreement been reached between you two? If you can mention this publicly of course.
Would really be nice to have ublock for T-bird again.
krystian3w commentedon Nov 4, 2025
After all, you can use the "fork" XPI https://github.com/celenityy/uBird?tab=readme-ov-file#ubird or the last one: https://addons.thunderbird.net/addon/ublock-origin/ (The Thunderbird store does not appear to use a signature mechanism: 710 files were checked. 0 modified, 0 only in first zip, 0 only in second zip.) Unless you've discovered new bugs in feed support.
celenityy commentedon Nov 4, 2025
Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything back since my last response here.
Adifagos commentedon Nov 5, 2025
@celenityy may i take some liberties then?
@gorhill with my humble apologies for tagging you, but the audience would most definitely appreciate some heads-up on this one! Could celenityy do the testing pretty please? :)
(and since you'll be reading this, thank you for uBlock)