Replying keeps your response connected to an existing conversation. Choose the audience deliberately: a private response to the sender and a message to everyone in the discussion are different actions, even when their buttons appear together.
Before you start
- Read the complete message and confirm that you recognize the sender. Check whether the reply needs to include everyone or only the person who contacted you.
- Identify the mailbox that should send the response. A business conversation can otherwise be answered accidentally from another configured account or identity.
Instructions
Choose the reply action
Open the message and select Reply for a response to the sender, or Reply All when the other original recipients need your answer too.
Inspect the address fields
Check From, To and Cc before typing. Remove recipients who do not need the response and investigate any unexpected destination address.
Write the response
Answer the relevant questions and retain enough context for the recipient. Review the quoted conversation so your response does not share unnecessary earlier material.
Check attachments and send
If your response requires a file, attach it explicitly and verify that the intended version appears. Review the completed reply, then select Send.
Check the result
- Open the sent copy and confirm the recipient list and From address. For an urgent message, check for a delivery failure before assuming the recipient has received it.
Troubleshooting
- Reply All would expose the message too widely
- Use Reply or remove unnecessary recipients before sending. If only a new person needs the original information, use Forward instead.
- The reply is saved but has not gone out
- Check whether it is still a draft or queued in the Outbox. Resume the saved message instead of starting another copy, and review any SMTP error.
Watch the video
The video may show an older interface. Use the written instructions above when screen names differ.
Continue with a related task
- Send an email with Mozilla Thunderbird
- Forward an email in Mozilla Thunderbird
- Check for new email in Mozilla Thunderbird
