Today I really got fed up by the Archive feature. I never archive anything in Thunderbird. I have an automatic archival system and have all my emails since 2010. No need for that in my IMAP3 system!?

The biggest problem for me is that I work really fast. So when I go to my Junk folder and select all the emails to delete them, the Archive button appears where the Delete button was just a split second ago... and you guessed it, I end up clicking on that button...

So I thought I'd file a bug report to see whether they would consider not having the Archive button in the Junk folder. Looking at existing issues, I found out that they already made changes to not have the Archive button withint the Archives folders. How smart was it not to think of that from day one!? :-) Not like I would have, but well... Anyway, that's actually mostly fixed.

Now, the fact is that it happens to me even outside of the Junk folder. Reading the issues, though, it made me think about one other thing: maybe they have a way to just turn off the feature.

Looking at all the preferences available, though, I just could not find one that would allow me to do anything at all with any of the buttons. Sad. Then I noticed that Config Editor button and clicked on it. Once I void my warranty, I was able to search on "archive" and Bingo! There is a flag in there that allows you to DISABLE the feature altogether. Now I do not see any Archive button anywhere. Exactly what I wanted!

Here are screenshots of the preferences under Linux. (Usually the Windows version looks very different.)

First Screen Shot: As you can see, you click on Advanced, then Config Editor.

Second Screen Short: Before entering the editor, Thunderbird asks for confirmation.

Third Screen Shot: In the search box, enter "archive", that should limit the list to settings with the word archive, one of which says "archive_enabled". Double click it and it turns to false (again to turn it back to true.) Close the settings and see that if you to any email, the Archive button is missing.