Transfer Thunderbird from One Computer to Another

Summary: This is the easiest tutorial that will teach you how to transfer Thunderbird from one computer to another while copying all the data and the profile folder from one Thunderbird account. We have explained effective ways with step-by-step easy process to transfer Mozilla Thunderbird to new computer.

Mozilla Thunderbird is an open-source desktop-based email client that allows you to send and receive emails from one or more email accounts easily. Since it is free of cost and comes with an easy interface, it has a large number of users. However, there are cases when users need to switch or upgrade the computer. So, that they can transfer Thunderbird emails to new computer another along with contacts, calendars, and other stored details.

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Reasons to Transfer Mozilla Thunderbird to New Computer

In this section, you will get to know the actual reason why users transfer Thunderbird from one computer to another. Read the points given just below:

Users frequently want their email client to behave the same way when they switch to a new system as on the old one
A lagging or outdated system may drive users to migrate their Thunderbird data to a more stable machine
Backing up Thunderbird files prior to a computer failure can help save important email addresses
Those of you who work in hybrid environments want to access Thunderbird from multiple machines
If you’re wiping your current system, then you need a backup to restore

Points to Remember While Migrating:

Ensure that you transfer all important Thunderbird data before you shift your Thunderbird data.

Email folders & messages
Address books and contacts
Account configurations
Saved passwords
Calendar data
Message filters
Thunderbird profile settings
Local folders and archives

Transfer Thunderbird From One Computer to Another – Manual Method

In the following section, we will guide you with different methods to transfer Mozilla Thunderbird to new Computer.

#1. Migrate Thunderbird Profile to New Computer – Manually

To transfer Thunderbird between two computers, users need to copy the Thunderbird profile data from the source computer. For this follow the below mentioned steps:

1. Open the Run Prompt.
2. Next, write %appdata% command.
3. This will open the Mozilla Thunderbird data folder which is saved locally.
4. Then, click on the OK button.

5. After that, open the Thunderbird Folder by double-click.

6. After opening this folder, a “Profiles” folder will get visible. The user has to copy this folder to access the Thunderbird data into the other computer.

Note: After Copying the “Profiles” folder from the source machine, this folder has to be pasted on the destination machine for the further access of Thunderbird data. User can easily transfer this folder via USB pen drive, portable hard drive or any storage media to transfer Thunderbird from one computer to another.

Drawbacks of Using Manual Method

These are some limitations which comes while transferring your Thunderbird to the new one. let’s just visit them to make a note of that:

If anything goes wrong like corrupted profile .ini file could cause Thunderbird not to start again.
You can’t migrate the accounts or data you want.
Numerous or large accounts can encounter synchronization errors or delays.
Folder structure is different for OS and might be difficult for non technical user.

Also Refer: User can also learn how to find profile folder in Thunderbird

Method-2 Advanced Solution to Transfer Thunderbird from One Computer to Another

Now, the user has the “Profile” folder copied in their new computer or PC. In the next step, they have to import MBOX folder into Thunderbird account. For this, they can try SysTools Thunderbird Import Wizard. The software will easily import multiple MBOX files / Thunderbird profile folder into new Thunderbird email application profile. The user can transfer Mozilla Thunderbird to new computer along with the attachments.

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Note: When you transfer Thunderbird email to new computer using the tool, the tool allows you to move emails along with the attachments in the new Thunderbird account. Moreover you can also backup Thunderbird address book.

Transfer Thunderbird from One Computer to Another – Tool Steps

Follow the below-mentioned steps to import the profile folder data into another PC.

Step 1. Launch and Run the Software to transfer Mozilla Thunderbird to new computer.

Step 2. Click on the “Add Folder” option to browse to the profile data folder.

Step 3. Once the file is added, the tool will display all the data items that are imported within the software interface. Click the “Next” button.

Step 4. A screen will appear through which a user can apply the date-filters according to the requirement.

Step 5. Choose the required target profile from the automatically loaded list of Identities.

Step 6. Next, click the “Import” button to transfer Thunderbird email to new computer.

Step 7. The user can now navigate to the Thunderbird account on the new computer and can view the imported MBOX file.

This May be Helpful:
For the users who are planning to switch to Outlook email client on another Computer, can refer to SysTools MBOX Converter . The utility can convert multiple MBOX files into Outlook PST format in a completely error-free way. It also provides an option to recover MBOX file emails along with attachments.

My Saved Passwords, Add-ons & Settings Will be Moved As Well?

Yes, If only you will move the whole Thunderbird profile folder correctly.

Data Type	Transferred?	Notes
Emails & Folders	Yes	All local and synchronized email will be kept
Account Settings	Yes	Email account configurations like IMAP/POP/SMTP
Address Book	Yes	All lists of saved contacts and mailing lists
Saved Passwords	Yes	Login credentials reunited after the stored password
Add-ons & Extensions	Yes	But most extensions will be port-overs, though support for versions will differ.
Themes & Layouts	Yes	Thunderbird interface are stored in Profile
Filters & Rules	Yes	Message filters, tags, and rules transfer automatically

Important Tips to Follow:

If you use a Master Password, it will have to be input on the first transfer for Thunderbird to be able to access saved passwords.
Some legacy or incompatible add-ons aren’t compatible with the new Thunderbird on your new system.
If you are using an OAuth-type login method. Then, you may be prompted to reauthenticate when you boot up Thunderbird on the new computer.

Final Words

We have explained the top easy methods to transfer Thunderbird from one computer to another. Through this article, we let users know the various reasons behind doing this transfer. But, manual methods come with certain limitations. So, for this we have provided professional solution by which users can successfully transfer Mozilla Thunderbird to new computer without any hassle.

Users Also Ask

Q. Is it Possible to transfer Thunderbird from one computer to another with ImportExportToolsNG?

A. No, this add on does not support importing complete profile data stored in a folder. Even if you can add the folder for import, the add-on will not be able to transfer Thunderbird to new computer with complete data.

Q. What are the supported Thunderbird versions of Thunderbird Import Wizard?

A. This application supports all editions of Thunderbird including the latest Thunderbird 152.0 version.

Q. Is Thunderbird better than Outlook?

A. Depending on the need, different people find different email clients better for them. Though Outlook is rich in numerous features, it is a paid application while Thunderbird is a free client.