Xfce Forum

makerofkillstreaks

Member

Registered: 2026-07-26

Posts: 8

Clearlooks-Phenix-Sapphire GTK2/GTK3/xfwm4 theme not properly applying

On an email client called Betterbird, which is a fork called Mozilla Thunderbird, my WM theme, Clearlooks-Phenix-Sapphire doesn't apply, and xfwm4 falls back on Adwaita. I know that the issue is related to the Gecko codebase since I have had this issue on Firefox and Zen Browser, which I have since fixed. How do I fix this issue on Betterbird? Thanks!

daffyduck

Banned

Registered: 2026-06-25

Posts: 118

Re: Clearlooks-Phenix-Sapphire GTK2/GTK3/xfwm4 theme not properly applying

Lol, GTK3. I wonder what the answers will be.

Your application (Betterbird) has requested that your Window Manager (Xfwm4) should NOT draw the window decorations (the "theme"). This is why the title bar and borders are missing.

There are two likely scenarios:

1. There is a built-in option.
Betterbird may have an option in its preferences to enable the "title bar", "window decorations", or disable "CSD" (Client-Side Decorations). It would be worth searching the settings for these terms or asking the Betterbird (or Thunderbird) community for the specific menu path, but perhaps someone here knows the answer.

2. There is no built-in option.
If Betterbird doesn't provide a preference to toggle CSD, you can share your feedback and opinions on the Betterbird forums, but it is unlikely they will listen to you if they have already decided to not provide the mentioned option. In the meantime, since this is GTK3, there are several unofficial workarounds available that might be able restore your window decorations.

Sorry for not being more helpful.

Added later 05 min 11 s:

and xfwm4 falls back on Adwaita.

Ah, you got it wrong there.
Xfwm4 has nothing to do with Adwaita.

So, perhaps there is a third option: make Betterbird use your desired theme for its CSD.
But, those will not be window decorations drawn by Xfwm4, they will be drawn by Betterbird.

Added later 14 min 25 s:
Ah, I couldn't help it...
Also, if you want to vent out your frustration at any time, I think this thread might be the appropriate one:
https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=19323

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JmaCWQ

Member

Registered: 2022-12-06

Posts: 86

Re: Clearlooks-Phenix-Sapphire GTK2/GTK3/xfwm4 theme not properly applying

To make it use the system titlebar instead of the ugly CSD titlebar you could try Settings > Appearance > Window Layout > uncheck Hide system window titlebar.
That's where it's found in Thunderbird, I haven't tried Betterbird though imagine it'd be similar being a Thunderbird fork.

As for the theming issue I don't know.
Possibly similar steps to how you fixed it with the other apps, or there could be another setting in Betterbird that will allow the theme to display correctly, maybe in the config editor (about:config) there's something with regards to theming that has to be set so it'll use your desired theme.
Or it could be just that theme isn't compatible, from memory on some systems I think apps will use Aidwata if for some reason the applied theme isn't compatible or has things missing etc..