(Tl_0.5Pb_0.5)(Sr_(0.75–0.9)Ba_(0.1–0.25))₂Ca₂Cu₃O_xF_y bulk superconductors have been prepared by partial replacement of CaO by CaF₂ and of BaO by BaF₂ in the starting materials via the mixed oxide method. The addition of either CaF₂ or BaF₂ as a fluoride ion source yielded predominantly the SrF₂ secondary phase. The critical temperatures decreased by 5 to 20 K compared to the critical temperature of the samples prepared without the addition of CaF₂ or BaF₂. Annealing at 820 °C yielded comparable T_c(0) values between 114 and 119 K for both the fluoride containing and fluoride-free samples. The critical current densities at 77 K decreased. Partial or complete substitution of Tl₂O₃ by TlF in the starting material led to critical temperatures (T_c(0)) between 115 and 117 K and the formation of large grains (up to 200 µm). The concentration of fluoride ions in the superconducting crystallites was below the detection limit of the energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis. Excellent results were obtained when TlF was used in thallium sources for in situ preparation of screen-printed thick films on single-crystal LaAlO₃. The x-ray diffraction pattern showed that very well textured Tl-1223 crystallites were formed. The critical temperature T_c(0) for these films was about 117 K with transition widths (ΔT_c(90–10%)) smaller than 1 K. The films prepared at ambient pressure yielded critical current densities up to 370 000 A cm⁻² at 77 K in the self-field.