How to Sync /Transfer/Import Gmail Contacts to Thunderbird?

  author
Written By Kumar Raj
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh
Published On September 22nd, 2023
Reading Time 6 Minutes Reading

User Query 1:Hello. I have a large number of contacts stored in my Gmail. I want to sync those contacts with my Thunderbird that I use at home. Thus, I can communicate with my Gmail contacts from Thunderbird email too. Can anyone tell me how to import contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird? Since I am not an expert, tell me a method that does not require technical expertise. Waiting for an expert suggestion from my learned fellow members.”

User Query 2:Hi friends. I am looking for a safe and secure way to export contacts from my Gmail account to Mozilla Thunderbird. Since I use both email clients, it is important that I have my contact list synchronized for easy emailing. Once I import contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird, I can easily send emails to the same group of people. Please suggest to me any simple method to transfer contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird email.”

If you are looking for a way to add Google contacts to Thunderbird, do not worry anymore. Like you, many other Gmail users in the world face the necessity of syncing their Gmail contacts with Thunderbird. Though the method is not a tough one, some users do not know it and they are the ones that suffer. To help the users who want to add Google contacts to Thunderbird, we will share a complete guideline of how you can perform this contact data migration from one email client to another. We will now go straight to the method to export contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird.

How to Add / Import Contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird?

If you are facing the need to sync your contacts between Gmail and Thunderbird, you can implement the technique we are going to share in this section. This whole technique is divided into two parts to add contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird. First of all, we have to export the Gmail contacts and save them in a format that is compatible with Thunderbird. Then in the second part, we have to sync contacts from Gmail to Mozilla Thunderbird. Now it is time to learn how you can perform this procedure.

Part 1: Export Gmail Contacts

As we have mentioned, users have to save the Gmail contacts in the vCard format on the local machine to export contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird. For that, they have to perform these steps:

  1. Open your Gmail account.
  2. Select Contacts from the top left corner of the screen.
  3. Contacts page will open. There, you have to click on More >> Export.
  4. From the list of options, choose vCard. Also, click on the Export button.
  5. The data will be saved in vCard format.

Limitations of Manual Method to Import Contacts From Gmail to Thunderbird

Though this method seems simple, there are some drawbacks of this technique. This method can be time-consuming. If you have thousands of contacts, then it will take a lot of time for all the contacts to get exported. Also, sometimes when you add Gmail contacts (.vcf) file format to Thunderbird, you might not get all contacts visible in Thunderbird. Because of these disadvantages of the Gmail contacts export manual technique, users tend to look for an alternate solution. Here we will talk about an alternate method.

Professional Technique to Transfer Contacts From Gmail to Thunderbird

When it requires to add Google contacts to Thunderbird, that too when there is a requirement to do the process from several accounts then it becomes an issue. Hence through this simple tool, one can easily import Google contacts to Thunderbird just by using the Gmail Backup Tool. You can even just take the backup of multiple Gmail accounts and export them to PDF, EML, Outlook PST, MSG, and MBOX file formats easily.

Quick Steps to Export Contacts From Gmail to Thunderbird

  • Step-1.Launch the tool and enter the ID and password.
  • Step-2. Select the exporting format of choice.
  • Step-3. Choose Contacts as a category to export.
  • Step-4. Use the Browse Option to set the exporting location.
  • Step-5. Press the Start button to add contacts to Thunderbird.

To avoid these issues, users can take the help of the Gmail Backup Program to transfer contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird. For that, they need to perform these simple steps:

  • Open the tool on your system to import contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird. Add your Gmail credentials including username and password.

import contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird

  • The user will be redirected to the browser where they have to confirm the credentials.

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  • Now, they have to allow the software to access Gmail data. Select only the Contacts option and choose EML as the chosen format.
  • Add the destination address and apply additional filters are needed.

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  • Click Start and the data export will begin. When it is done, users will get notified.

import contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird

Part 2: Import Contacts in Thunderbird

Now that we have our contacts in VCF format, import them in Mozilla Thunderbird using the following steps:

  1. Open Thunderbird and click on the Address Book option in the Menu.
  2. Click on the Tools option and choose Import.
  3. Select the Address Book radio button from the wizard and click the Next button.
  4. Select a vCard file (.vcf) and then add the vCard file.
  5. Configure the settings when prompted and click OK.
  6. The Gmail contacts will get imported into Thunderbird easily.

Also Read: How to Import Gmail Contacts to Samsung Smartphone 

Final Words

Many users feel the requirement to import contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird but they do not know how to conduct this process. Because of this lack of knowledge, people face trouble in their daily lives. To save the users from this problematic situation, this post shared an effective method to sync/add/transfer Gmail contacts in Mozilla Thunderbird. Users can easily follow the guidelines we have mentioned here and successfully export their Gmail contacts. People who want to save time and apply an easier method are suggested to use the Offline Gmail Backup Tool. This utility allows the users to export contacts in vCard format and that too without any risk of data corruption and data loss.

FAQ

Q1.How do I export my contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird?

To transfer contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird,  you can do it by using your Gmail account or you can use the Backup tool for Gmail to get contacts from multiple Google Accounts.

Q2. Can I use this tool to get the items other along with Contacts?

Yes, this tool gives the option to select the required categories which are required to import Google contacts to Thunderbird.

Q3. Does this tool allow you to Export Contacts from multiple Gmail accounts?

Yes, the tool has no restriction on this, you can simply import contacts from Gmail to Thunderbird or multiple Google accounts.

  author

By Kumar Raj

He is an ardent tech enthusiast and has a specialization in simplifying complex tech topics. With a knack for staying ahead of the curve, he provides readers with up-to-date insights into the ever-evolving tech world. When he is not writing, he enjoys exploring new gadgets and is actively engaged in tech communities.