131 has upgraded to 132. This release will soon be released as a monthly update, separate from 128, the extended support release. You are safe to use this monthly version, as it will soon be formally released. I am using this version and have had no difficulties. If you prefer the extended support release, you can install it, but may have to locate a file named compatibility.ini in the profile folder and delete it.

David thank you very much for your reply. I don't really understand the difference between the extended support release and a (normal?) release, and the associated numbering. I have read the suggested link (Use of last profile with downgraded TB (131-> 128.3) but did not fully understand it.)

Can I just wait for the release of 132 and update to that. How do I stop automatic updates until I can manually install 132 when it is released?

This is a new direction, having two releases, one extended version for stability, and one with the latest enhancements updated monthly. the extended one is currently 128 and the monthly 132 (yes, 131 has already updated.) 132 is still a beta, but if you click help>about then it will upgrade to 132. To prevent future upgrades without your permission, click the settings>general and scroll down to the update area and tick the box to inform you of updates but not install without your ok.

David Thank you again. Just being a basic user, should I be on the ESR version? If so how do I do that?

With the beta version I get this warning message every time I open TB, it would be nice not to have to worry about it.

If you are seeing https://start.thunderbird.net/en-US/monthly/, just ignore it.

I suggest staying with the monthly version, as it will be regularly updated. Switching to the ESR version can be problematic and not worth the frustration. As Wayne indicated, just ignore the beta warning.

Thanks for your help. I really don't like being in the position I am in. I guess I will have to make a careful note of all my settings and uninstall the beta and reinstall the ESR version and re-create the profile.

I do wish developers did more to make it easy for Users rather than making it more complex and confusing. I feel I should not have been automatically moved from ESR to the Beta versions. Then to have a message come up recommending to go back to the latest stable ESR version (which cannot be done easily) does not make life easy for a normal User.

Just FYI, I am having the same problem, and it has happened twice that a beta version was installed automatically instead of the esr version. So far, no one seems to have an answer to why this is happening.

So far, no one seems to have an answer to why this is happening.

This is for everyone... If Help > Troubleshooting Information > Show update history doesn't show Thunderbird having updated to anything other than an esr version (currently 128), then you need to look elsewhere.

Check what programs are installed on your computer, and tell us what you are able to determine might have caused this - because we, the thunderbird team, are as much interested in learning what as happening as you.

Here is my info from Update History 5th Sept 128.2.0.esr successful 20th Sept 128.2.3.esr patch apply failed 2nd Oct 128.3.0.esr install failed 13th Oct 131.0.1 successful 30th Oct 132.0 patch apply failed.

Now every day on start up it wants my admin password to do another update (which I have to decline)

Is there any way I can keep my exsisting email history, the uninstall and re-install and set up my various accounts again? I can't afford to lose all my history.

I believe you can install 128 over the top of current installation, and then in windows file explorer, locate a file named compatibility.ini in the profile and delete it, and on starting, turn auto update OFF for now.

At least for my case, I think I have a clue about this. My university does control some updates on my machine. I asked them specifically about Thunderbird, and they said no, they don't push Thunderbird updates, but they do push Firefox updates. I checked the dates, and the dates that I get the Thunderbird "release" (not esr) updates correspond with the Firefox release dates. Could these updates be linked, so that my Thunderbird also gets updated, even though the university doesn't realize it? Can this be controlled in some way? As always, thanks for your help!

No, they're too different apps. I believe there may have been a bug when the monthly was originally introduced, as a few users did report that their esr upgrade became the monthly upgrade. I do not anticipate a repeat of that.

Here is my info from Update History 5th Sept 128.2.0.esr successful 20th Sept 128.2.3.esr patch apply failed 2nd Oct 128.3.0.esr install failed 13th Oct 131.0.1 successful 30th Oct 132.0 patch apply failed.

That history is from Help > Troubleshooting Information?

Mine reads differently....

No, they're too different apps. I believe there may have been a bug when the monthly was originally introduced, as a few users did report that their esr upgrade became the monthly upgrade. I do not anticipate a repeat of that.

We are doubting there is a bug in Thunderbird. The update rules are coded at the server end, not the client. And those rules have been in place for decades, designed in part to prevent channel jumping.