Migrate Thunderbird Emails to The Bat with Complete Tutorial

  Mohit Kumar Jha
Written By Mohit Kumar Jha
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh
Modified On September 16th, 2025
Reading Time 6 Min Read

Thunderbird and The Bat are two different types of email applications, and some of you might find it difficult to switch from Thunderbird to The Bat. So, in this article, I will provide you with ways to help you transfer the emails. So, properly read the article.

I am going to start the blog by explaining what Thunderbird and The Bat email programs are. Mozilla Thunderbird, as you know, is an open-source email application that is free to use. It is a desktop email application used for personal or professional communication. Along with basic email facilities, it allows you to add multiple accounts, add-ons, and many other facilities.

The Bat! is also a desktop client that you can install and run on your computer, just like Thunderbird. It is applicable for Windows OS and supports IMAP, POP3, and SMTP protocols. This program has several characteristics, like accessing your emails and attachments offline, enhancing your privacy, and offering robust security features.

Reasons to Move Thunderbird to The Bat!

As you see, both programs are different, but many want to migrate their Thunderbird emails to The Bat! The reasons why is that have mentioned below.

  • The Bat! provides you with many features to protect your account from malware. It allows you to end-to-end encryption and offers you many advanced security features.
  • Large mailboxes in Thunderbird create many issues, like slowing down or crashing your program. However, The Bat! performs perfectly even though lots of emails are saved in the program.
  • You will find powerful filtering systems, automation rules, and templates in The Bat!. Thunderbird provides you with basic email filters.
  • In Thunderbird, most users face issues with synchronization. But, The Bat! has more reliable protocol handling, making your email communication smoother.

With these reasons, you understand the need to switch from Thunderbird to The Bat!. However, users have their own reasons to migrate the emails. But, whatever the cause, I have solutions that can help you in this situation.

Switch from Thunderbird to The Bat! By MBOX Option

Switching your account means that you want to close your Thunderbird and want to move to The Bat!. Here, you also have to move your Thunderbird emails. So, to do that, there are several ways available. One of them is to use the MBOX file to migrate the data. In this, I have to first export my Thunderbird emails in MBOX file format. For this, install the ImportExportTools NG add-on.

  1. After installing the add-in, choose the folder you want to move and right-click on it.
  2. Then, click on the ImportExport Tools NG, then select the Export folder (mbox).
  3. Set a location where you want to save the MBOX file. Then click on the Export button.
  4. Now, I am going to move the exported file to The Bat!. So, run the email program.
  5. Click on the Tools menu bar, then select the Import Messages button.
  6. Choose the UNIX-mailbox (*.mbox) option and browse the location of your MBOX file.
  7. Then, click on the import button. Your file will be imported to the program, and will also create a new folder where you can store your emails.

Transfer Thunderbird to The Bat! by IMAP Account

You can also switch your account using IMAP. If you have enabled the IMAP server in The Bat!. Then, you can easily move them. Follow the steps below to migrate your Thunderbird data.

  1. First, I am going to connect The Bat! Email account to Thunderbird. By clicking the three bars at the top right corner.
  2. Select the Account Settings option. Click on the Mail Action button.
  3. Choose Add Account option. Now, enter The Bat! Username, email address, and password. Hit the Continue button.
  4. Choose the IMAP option and click on the Add button.
  5. Thunderbird automatically finds your server settings and configures your account.
  6. Once The Bat! account is set up in Thunderbird. Now, move your data from the Thunderbird folder to the configured Bat account.

Limitations of Manual Methods

The above solutions can help you in switching from Thunderbird to The Bat!. But using the manual methods can cause you problems. Such as.

  • Moving multiple emails from Thunderbird to The Bat! client would be time-consuming.
  • Using IMAP can be difficult for some people, especially those who don’t have proper knowledge about the program.
  • Due to an inadequate connection to the internet, some of you may have a problem connecting your The Bat! Account to Thunderbird.
  • Some of the data will be missing throughout the process.

Hence, these issues can be faced by many people. So, to overcome them, you can use a professional method.

Switch from Thunderbird to The Bat! by Professional Method

For the businesses, the professional method would be a great option. Because of the SysTools IMAP Migration Software. It is one of the best tools where users can easily transfer their data from one IMAP account to another. Anyone can navigate to the wizard because of its user-friendly interface and simple process. Below is the proper procedure for the program.

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Steps to Switch Thunderbird to The Bat!

  1. Download and install the software on your computer.
    install the tool in computer
  2. Activate the tool by providing the activation key.
  3. From both the source and destination tabs, click on IMAP and select Email from Workload.
    select imap from source and destination
  4. Select Thunderbird IMAP server and provide IMAP server URL. Click on the Validate button.
    choose thunderbird server
  5. From the destination, select the Other option and provide The Bat! server URL. Press the Validate option.
    select the bat!
  6. To add the users, click on the Download Template to get the sample CSV.
    click download template
  7. Add the source Thunderbird account and destination The Bat! and create a mapping.
    map your file
  8. Save the file and click on Import users, upload the mapping file.
    upload the csv file
  9. After adding the users, set the priority account as per your need, and then click on the Start migration button.
    click on validate button

Conclude

Now, whenever you want to move Thunderbird emails to The Bat!. Follow the methods mentioned in this article. Here, I have explained three different options: two manual and one professional. Manual options are easy to follow, but can cause you many issues. However, the professionals make the process much easier and secure. That’s why many experts recommend this tool.

  author

By Mohit Kumar Jha

Mohit is a Microsoft Certified expert for all things Microsoft. He brings a unique perspective gained from nearly a decade of active participation in various IT forums, blogs, and social media. Known in admin circles as the go-to guru for solving user queries in the domain of cloud migration, data backup, and digital forensics. The secret to his core expertise lies in solving problems practically. Through this hands-on experience, he has acquired knowledge in diverse domains like Microsoft 365 Cloud, On-Premise Exchange Server, AD, and Entra ID.