FunOS

Betterbird is an advanced, feature-rich email client based on Mozilla Thunderbird. It offers many improvements over Thunderbird, including enhanced search capabilities, better message list handling, faster bug fixes, and additional user interface options.

On FunOS, Betterbird can be installed easily using the official installer script provided by the Betterbird project. This guide explains what Betterbird is, how to install it, how to update it, and how to completely remove it from FunOS if needed.

This tutorial is written specifically for FunOS, which is based on Ubuntu and uses the JWM window manager.

What is Betterbird?

Betterbird is an open-source email client that is built directly on top of Mozilla Thunderbird’s source code. It remains fully compatible with Thunderbird while adding features and fixes that are not yet available in the official Thunderbird releases.

Some key advantages of Betterbird include:

• Faster implementation of bug fixes compared to Thunderbird
• Enhanced message search (including advanced and regex-based searching)
• Improved message list view (multi-line subjects and sender display)
• Better system integration on Linux (including tray behavior)
• Full compatibility with Thunderbird profiles, add-ons, and email formats

Because Betterbird installs into /opt/betterbird, it does not overwrite Thunderbird, making it safe to test or use alongside it.

How to Install Betterbird on FunOS

Work on: 22.04.5 ✅ | 24.04.4 ✅ | 25.04 ✅ | 25.10 ✅ | 26.04 ✅

The installation process uses the official Betterbird installation script, which downloads and installs the latest stable version into /opt.

Step 1: Open a Terminal

You can open the Terminal in any of the following ways:

• Click Menu in the lower-left corner of the screen, then click Terminal
• Click the Terminal icon in the Tray
• Press Ctrl + Alt + T on your keyboard

Step 2: Download the Betterbird Installation Script

In the Terminal, download the official installer script using wget:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Betterbird/thunderbird-patches/main/install-on-linux/install-betterbird.sh

This script is maintained by the Betterbird project and always installs the latest supported version.

Step 3: Make the Script Executable

Before running the script, you must make it executable:

chmod +x install-betterbird.sh

This allows the script to be executed as a program.

Step 4: Run the Installer Script

Now run the installer with administrator privileges:

sudo ./install-betterbird.sh

During installation, the script will:

• Download the latest Betterbird release
• Install it to /opt/betterbird
• Create a desktop entry in /usr/share/applications
• Log installation details in /var/log/betterbird

Wait until the process completes.

Step 5: Remove the Downloaded Installation Script

After installation is finished, you can safely remove the installer script from your home directory:

rm -f install-betterbird.sh

This step is optional but recommended to keep your home folder clean.

Step 6: Reload the Menu

Because FunOS uses JWM, newly installed applications may not appear immediately in the menu.

To refresh the menu:

• Click the Menu button in the lower-left corner
• Click Reload menu

Launching Betterbird

To start Betterbird:

• Click the Menu button in the lower-left corner
• Open the Internet category
• Click Betterbird

On first launch, Betterbird will ask whether you want to:

• Create a new email account, or
• Import an existing Thunderbird profile

How to Update Betterbird on FunOS

Betterbird does not use the APT package manager on Linux. Instead, updates are performed by running the installer script again.

To update Betterbird:

1. Open a Terminal
2. Download the installer script
3. Make it executable
4. Run it with sudo

The steps are exactly the same as described in the How to Install Betterbird on FunOS section above.

Running the script again will automatically replace the existing installation with the latest version.

How to Uninstall Betterbird on FunOS

If you no longer need Betterbird, you can completely remove it from your system by following the steps below.

Step 1: Open a Terminal

You can open the Terminal using any of these methods:

• Click Menu → Terminal
• Click the Terminal icon in the Tray
• Press Ctrl + Alt + T

Step 2: Remove the Betterbird Directory

Remove the main Betterbird installation directory:

sudo rm -rf /opt/betterbird

Step 3: Remove the Desktop Entry

Remove the Betterbird menu entry:

sudo rm -f /usr/share/applications/eu.betterbird.Betterbird.desktop

Step 4: Remove Installer Logs

Delete logs created by the installer:

sudo rm -rf /var/log/betterbird

Step 5: Remove Old Backups Created by the Installer

The installer may create backup directories during upgrades. Remove them with:

sudo rm -rf /opt/betterbird_backup_*

Step 6: Remove User Data (Optional)

If you want to completely remove all Betterbird / Thunderbird user data, delete the following directories:

rm -rf $HOME/.cache/thunderbird
rm -rf $HOME/.thunderbird

⚠️ Warning:
This step permanently removes all email accounts, messages, and settings. Only do this if you are sure you no longer need them.

Step 7: Reload the Menu

Finally, reload the JWM menu so the Betterbird entry disappears:

• Click the Menu button
• Click Reload menu

Conclusion

Betterbird is a powerful and modern email client that provides many improvements over Mozilla Thunderbird while remaining fully compatible with it. On FunOS, installation is simple thanks to the official installer script, and updating Betterbird is just as easy.

Whether you are looking for better search, improved message handling, or faster bug fixes, Betterbird is an excellent choice for FunOS users who want a more advanced email experience.

If you decide to remove it later, Betterbird can also be uninstalled cleanly without affecting the rest of your system.