Since Tails 7.5 (February 2026), Tails tries to automatically install Thunderbird as additional software to improve its security.
Until Tails 7.5, a new version of Thunderbird was released in Debian shortly after we released a new version of Tails. As a consequence, the version of Thunderbird in Tails was almost always outdated, with known security vulnerabilities.
By installing Thunderbird as additional software, the latest version of Thunderbird is installed automatically from your Persistent Storage each time you start Tails.
Tails also tries to install as additional software the language package that corresponds to the language of your first session with Tails 7.5 or later. To use Thunderbird in another language, see how to use Thunderbird in another language.
Thunderbird will no longer be included by default in Tails 7.8 (May 2026) and later.
Successful migration
If the Thunderbird Migration dialog below appears when you start Thunderbird, it means that Tails successfully installed Thunderbird as additional software.
Manual migration
If the Thunderbird Migration notification below appears when you start Tails, it means that Tails failed to install Thunderbird as additional software because the Additional Software feature of your Persistent Storage is turned off.
Select Install as Additional Software next time you start Tails to turn on the Additional Software feature of your Persistent Storage and add Thunderbird to your list of additional software.
Failed migration
If the Thunderbird Migration notification below appears when you start Tails, it means that Tails failed to install Thunderbird as additional software for unknown reasons.
Please report an error to help us troubleshoot your problem.
