Overview: If you are here to know different ways to import Thunderbird email to Thunderbird, then you have opened the right blog. You will find your solution by following various manual & professional approaches. Go with the method of your choice which quickly solves your problem.
Usually, users move their Thunderbird account to a new computer when they want to upgrade, migrate to another PC, sign up with a new email provider, or manage different mailboxes into a single account.
Although emails in Mozilla Thunderbird are stored locally and give you the option to manage your MBOX data, migrating is not as easy as you think because whenever you export huge data, then you might face problems like corrupted files, missing folders in the mailbox, broken folder hierarchy, and difficulty importing large email archives.
Also Read: Move Thunderbird Profile to New Computer
Reasons to Export Thunderbird to Thunderbird
There are many scenarios in which users are stuck and want to import Thunderbird email to Thunderbird.
- To transfer Thunderbird from one laptop to a different one with all their data
- If the current profile is slow or gets corrupt. Then, you need to create a new Thunderbird profile
- You can do this by importing old mails from another account using an add-on extension
- Aim to combine numerous Thunderbird mailboxes into one account for proper email management
- For the purpose of taking a backup of your Thunderbird email created in the past into your currently used profile of Thunderbird
- After installing Thunderbird again, restore your emails and mailbox folders
Things to Note Before Importing
Make sure to follow the below points while migrating:
- Thunderbird is properly installed
- You have a backup of your current Thunderbird profile
- Having sufficient storage space
- Check & update it to the latest Thunderbird version
- Repair large mailbox files
Importing a very large Thunderbird mailbox?
Before starting the import process, check the size of your MBOX file. This is because large-sized MBOX files take significantly longer to import and may be difficult to manage if the import process is interrupted. Therefore, use the dedicated SysTools MBOX Splitter to split your oversized Thunderbird mailbox file into smaller files beforehand to simplify the import process. The utility lets you divide the large file based on size, date, date range, year, subject, and sender. Moreover, it is available both online and offline.
Manual Approaches to Import Thunderbird Email to Thunderbird
We will give you two methods to export Thunderbird to Thunderbird manually. Follow these steps one by one.
#1. Transfer Thunderbird Emails Using ImportExportTools NG
One method is to use the add-on ImportExportTools NG to import Thunderbird email to Thunderbird.
Step 1. Install ImportExportTools NG
- First, open Thunderbird
- Next, go to Tools > Add-ons and Themes
- Search for “ImportExportTools NG” extension
- Go to install add-on option, then restart Thunderbird
Step 2. Import Mailbox Files
- Right-click on Local Folders
- Then, select ImportExportTools NG
- Choose Import MBOX File
- Browse to add MBOX
- Lastly, import the mailbox into Thunderbird
Advantages:
- Suitable for small Thunderbird data
- Supports MBOX imports
Limitations:
- Requires technical knowledge
- Requires importing multiple mailboxes individually
- The folder hierarchy may be changed
- Large files can create some performance issues
- Chances of losing attachments and other information
#2. Copy Thunderbird Profile Data to Another Account
The other option is to migrate the entire Thunderbird profile. Here are the steps to do this:
Step 1. Locate Thunderbird Profile
Follow this path if you are using Windows:
C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles
Step 2. Copy Profile Folder
- Copy the entire profile folder
- Store it in an external drive or any other place
Step 3. Paste In New Thunderbird Installation
On your respective system, install Thunderbird
Now, go to the newly created profile folder and replace it with the old one.
Step 4. Launch Thunderbird
Thunderbird will load all your mail, settings, contacts, calendars, and configurations from the copied profile as it was before.
Advantages:
- Maintain account settings
- Transfer complete Thunderbird data
Limitations:
- Not easy for one-time users
- Risk of profile corruption
- Your current Thunderbird data can be lost
- It is not good to merge particular mailboxes.
Challenges with Manual Methods
Manual steps do get you results, but with various drawbacks:
- You cannot import GB-sized mailboxes as it can slow down
- Copying the wrong profile link can lead to missing emails or folders
- Your nested folder structure may show incorrectly
- Users cannot import selective emails
Import Thunderbird Email to Thunderbird – Automated Way
Following manual steps is good for small kinds of MBOX imports. But, you might face problems with bulk mailbox file imports or many Thunderbird accounts. A common set of issues includes missing folders, broken hierarchy, and time-consuming steps. In these scenarios, using SysTools Thunderbird Import Wizard is the reliable choice. As, it makes it easy to migrate all data from Thunderbird mailbox like emails along with attachments to other email clients.
Key Features:
- Import single & bulk mailbox collections in just one go
- The software preserves the folder structure
- No limit in file size during imports
- Does not require any technical expertise
- Import only the needed mailbox folder rather than taking entire data
- The software reduces the risks of manually changing the profile
End Note
There are few ways to import Thunderbird email to Thunderbird account. Manual methods are effective only if you have to import small mailbox files. In that case, you can use ImportExportTools NG add-on, or copy the entire profile steps to transfer manually. However, when you want to move large mailboxes to another account. You can go with our professional solution to export Thunderbird to Thunderbird easily. It provides you with many advanced options to import and ensures there is no data loss.
