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 who move Thunderbird account to 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. But, 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 mailbox, broken folder hierarchy and hard to import large email archives.

Also Read: Move Thunderbird Profile to New Computer

Table of Contents
  1. Why to Export Thunderbird Emails?
  2. Manual Methods to Import MBOX Data
  3. Transfer Mailboxes Using ImportExportTools NG
  4. Copy Thunderbird Profile
  5. Import Thunderbird Email to Thunderbird – Smart Way
  6. Conclusion

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 addon extension
  • Aim to combine numerous Thunderbird mailboxes into one account for proper email management
  • For the purpose to take 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

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
  • Their select ImportExportTools NG
  • Choose Import MBOX File
  • Browse to add MBOX
  • Lastly, import the mailbox into Thunderbird

Advantages:

  • Anyone can use
  • Suitable for small Thunderbird data
  • Supports MBOX imports

Limitations:

  • Requires technical knowledge
  • Importing multiple mailboxes individually
  • The folder hierarchy may be changed
  • Large files can create some performance issues
  • Chances of losing attachments, & other info

#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 having 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 new profile name that is created and replace it with the old one folder.

Step 4. Launch Thunderbird

Thunderbird will load all your mails, settings, contacts, calendars, and configuration 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 folders structure may shows 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 of folders
  • No limit in file size during imports
  • There is no need for 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 many advanced option to import and make sure that there is no kind of data loss.