Convert Thunderbird Emails to EML with Simple Stepwise Guide

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Written By Ashwani Tiwari
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh
Published On August 8th, 2022
Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading

Here, find the comprehensive guide on converting emails from Thunderbird to EML with proper screenshots. You can easily save Thunderbird messages as EML files using free manual methods and efficient solutions. Go ahead and export Thunderbird emails to EML file selectively or in bulk as per your requirements.

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Mozilla Thunderbird is among the most popular desktop email client in use today. It may be due to its extensive set of features or the fact that it is completely free to install and use for multiple accounts. Whichever the case, Thunderbird has its roots in home, businesses, and corporate environments. And it saves the mailbox data consisting of emails and attachments in MBOX format.

While using Thunderbird, certain situations arise which require users to save Thunderbird messages as EML files. This may be business-oriented or solely a personal purpose. Irrespective of the reasons, there is a need to convert Thunderbird to EML. And in here, we will be describing exactly how to do that using both free manual and flexible solutions.

Export Thunderbird Emails to EML Files with Free Manual Method

Thunderbird provides a native option to save Thunderbird emails as EML files i.e., “Save as“. Using this option, you can extract individual emails, selective messages or all single mailbox emails to EML format. The steps to do so are as follows:

1: In the Thunderbird interface, open the mailbox folder which contains emails you wish to save as EML.

2: Now, select the emails. You can do this individually or use Ctrl+A for highlighting all the emails.

select thunderbird email messages

3: Simply, right-click on the selected messages and choose Save As option from the list.

save as EML file

4: Next, select the appropriate storage folder and Save the selected emails as EML files.

Incompetent articles may provide you with another way i.e., Save selected Message option. But this is a feature that only exists in Thunderbird due to a certain add-on. The next section will elaborate on this fact.

Also Read: Convert Thunderbird Emails to PDF

Convert Thunderbird to EML Format with ImportExportTools Addon

There are two methods to export Thunderbird emails to EML files using the free ImportExportTools add-on. One is a feature that lets you select and save messages from inside the mailbox i.e., “Save selected message”. While the other is exporting the entire mailbox at once. Note that, both these options ONLY appear after installing the add-on.

Procedure to Download & Install the Free Add-on:

  1. In Thunderbird, go to Tools menu and select Add-on
  2. A new Add-ons Manager tab will appear. In here, search for “importexport” key
  3. Now, click on Add to Thunderbird button corresponding to ImportExportTools search result
  4. Finally, click on Install Now and restart Thunderbird. You can confirm add-on installation by going to Tools menu > Add-on options.

Use ‘Save Selected Message’ Option for Thunderbird to EML Conversion

1: Select particular Thunderbird emails individually or use Ctrl+A key for complete selection

select thunderbird email messages

2: Now, right-click on them and go for “Save selected messages” > EML format

save selected thunderbird messages as eml

3: Simply choose the folder to Save the exported EML files

Convert Thunderbird Emails to EML Files Using Free Add-On

1: Launch Thunderbird application and select mailbox folder

2: Right-click, choose ImportExportTools > Export all messages in the folder > EML format

3: Choose Select Folder to save Thunderbird emails as converted EML files

select eml file to convert emails

 

Other than EML, Thunderbird also provides several other formats to export its messages into.

Efficient Way to Undergo Thunderbird to EML Conversion

If for some reason, the above described manual methods are not working, you can always go for SysTools MBOX Converter wizard. It provides a 100% safe and secure environment for exporting Thunderbird mailboxes to EML files. Both bulk and selective conversion are possible via this solution.

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Step-by-Step Convert Thunderbird Emails to EML

  • Step 1: Run Thunderbird to EML Converter.
  • Step 2: Add Thunderbird mailboxes via two options.
  • Step 3: View emails of Thunderbird database with attachments.
  • Step 4: Choose “EML” to start converting Thunderbird to EML.

It will preserve the properties of Thunder emails upon conversion. Thus keeping the headers, inline images, links, and every other detail as the original. You can avail of its free version for trying out the conversion yourself.

Conclusion

Here, the users have been informed about the various techniques that can be used to convert Thunderbird to EML files. All the methods are described with proper screenshots in a step-by-step manner. Users can make use of the native approach, the free add-on or go with the assured solution as per requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Thunderbird export EML files in bulk?

Yes, it is possible to export Thunderbird to EML files in bulk. Various methods are available to carry out this task. Read the article for more information.

Is it possible to save only required Emails from Thunderbird?

Yes, it is possible to save Thunderbird emails as EML files selectively. All you need to do is highlight the particular emails while executing the given steps.

How do I export MBOX files of Thunderbird to EML without using Thunderbird?

For such migration, third-party software solutions such as Thunderbird to Outlook Converter are required. It can easily export MBOX files into multiple formats including EML without Thunderbird.

What happens to attachments when exporting Thunderbird data?

The attachments will be exported along with the email messages to EML files.

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By Ashwani Tiwari

Being a Chief Technical Analyst, I am aware of the technicalities faced by the user while working with multiple technologies. So, through my blogs and articles, I love to help all the users who face various challenges while dealing with technology.