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The Windows 10 PC crashed after an update, but I have command line access. I copied the profile folder from the Thunderbird installation to a USB drive, but can't find a way to move the subfolders (like 'name' and 'name.msf') to an existing installation on the new PC.

Is there a way to import these into the new installation?

Essentially, I’m wondering if thunderbird can be used to store old emails on a hard drive. I am wondering because I would like to be able to access them without the ability to use the internet because it would be on an old computer with no WiFi card or Ethernet capabilities. I would like to be able to store all of these emails with as little connected to the internet as possible.

Used the export function to export to zip file on a usb, (841mb) can see the zip file is there, then open thunderbird on desktop (Zorin 18.1) choose import , choose the zip file and get a message "nothing can be imported from the selected source" bit frustrating, hope one of you gurus can sort me out. Cheers John

I'm trying to dump Windows and move to Linux and I need to migrate my existing mail. The Export tool says it exports accounts, messages, address books, and settings. I've done this and have my Linux Mint Thunderbird installation up and running. The problem is the only "messages" it exports is the Inbox. Not "Sent" or any of the other 25 folders I've created to organize my mail. Is there ANY tool available that will export everything and then import it into a new installation?

I for sure don't want to have to dual boot just to do email. If I can't accomplish a complete cut-over, I'll abandon Linux and stick with Windows (ugh!).

I'm actually using Mint right now and I would need to go back to Windows to get that version number. Suffice it to say, as of yesterday, it was up to date with the latest Windows version.

I found two horrible bugs in Thunderbird and the script that migrates from Seamonkey mail to Thunderbird. I just tried switching earlier this year because I really liked the way Seamonkey mail did things, but so many websites considered Seamonkey out of date and unsupported that I tried to fully switch from Seamonkey to Firefox and Thunderbird.

The migration script made one inbox from Seamonkey into two main mail folders with inboxes in Thunderbird. And my Seamonkey mail folder had not only the usual Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Junk and Trash folders, but well over a dozen specialty inboxes where incoming mail was stored after filtering. And it had more than 10 years of archived (not compressed, just old mail from Inbox and Sent) in the main folder as well. The script failed to move all the mail, in fact, didn't move any old mail, but instead made new main folder, Inbox, Sent, etc and treated the existing mail as a separate mail account in the old main folder. I tried to fix that, and then T-bird or its filter script started deleting msgs from the old mailboxes, treating them as junk or something. I had the original copies from Seamonkey, copied them again and Thunderbird axed them again. Part of the problem was that the Thunderbird migration script did not copy the filtering system I had set up into the Thunderbird folders. Another was that the script did not move the junk mail settings and thought everything from the Seamonkey folder was junk. I'm pretty sure it failed to move my addressbook and other key files as well. This set of collosal processing errors developed in the years after Thunderbird was split off from Seamonkey instead of being kept synced with the excellent way Seamonkey handled email. As it stands, Thunderbird is just a big destructive virus.

In short, the migration code made major mistakes migrating from its predecessor program, and Thunderbird added some killer errors on top of the migration script. I have filed a bugzilla report a couple of months ago but don't have any realistic hope that Mozilla can or will fix the issues I found.

I need an email client that can take over at least the mail folders from Seamonkey so I can keep on using those folders and a POP/SMTP connection to transfer mail through my ISP's mail handler.

Send your reply to John <fridthof@gmail.com>. If it goes to my democritus7@att.net address, I am not likely to find it in the mountain of email that's gathered since I downloaded it previously.

My wife has a computer that hasn't been used for about 7 years and it contains a lot of emails that she would like to have on her newer computer.

The older computer has an older version of Thunderbird which doesn't allow the Importexport ng extension to be added.

Although I've copied her old profile, I can't see how to extract the emails from it into the newer version of Thunderbird on the newer computer. Is it possible and if so, how please.

Thanks.

Hi My desktop computer was stolen in 2019. Somehow I managed to get my emails and archived emails back on a new computer via a computer repair shop which build me a new better comp. Then 2 years ago my computer crashed and I can't get Mozilla Thunderbird back but need my archived emails etc. In the meantime I received my emails directly from Vox. How can I set up my old Thunderbird account again without loss of any archived emails. PS: I don't have the old password anymore either. Thanks in advance

I'm having trouble with my provider when trying to send a message. I thought I'd save a draft and send it later -- after my provider problem is resolved. After "Save" ing it, my draft folder is empty. Tried this twice... same result.

Second issue: I am trying to convert to Linux. Currently I keep all my Thunderbird stuff on an encrypted disk (Dekart Prvdsk). while I can mount this drive and access this from within applications, PrvDsk will not allow me to copy the files to an unencrypted disk. Is there any way (like a tool) that I can use to export all my folders (everything in "Profiles\2kbxyxpa.default-release\Mail\shastaemail.com," not just the profile?

I have changed Thunderbird E-mail account from IMAP to POP3. My question is, How do I get all my E-mail folders from the IMAP into the new POP3 account. Nothing followed the changed accounts formats.

Hello Guys; Since ages I use Mozilla email product (started with Navigator...). And I only use POP3 accounts so I've a lot of emails stored on my computer. Fine. I've imported my settings into Thunderbird for Android with success but this leave the data behind. How could I store my email folder on my phone and where to put it ? Many thanks in advance for your help and have a nice and bright day.

Hi, I had/have an IMAP account at my ISP Host, with TB connecting to.

There has been a number of occasions where I have used the Servers IMAP copy of emails as a back up, and from memory am sure that when connecting a fresh client, all emails/folders etc updated and down loaded from the server > client, in fact nothing got deleted on either side, and both sides synced.

My host (Fasthosts - I will name and shame) deleted my whole IMAP account by mistake.

They hastily re-instated just the package but all the emails had been wiped from the server.

I did though have a full copy of all emails on my TB IMAP client.

When I reconnected my client to the server after the re-instatement, i expected my clients emails to upload to the server, but instead they 'vanished' - and I have nothing but empty folders.

Am I able to recover any of these emails from my client, ie are they sitting in a file/folder still ??

TB has restarted a number of times since, and I fear the folder may have been compacted, but I cannot be sure.

Thoughts appreciated.

I recently bought Windows 11 a Friend loaded 11 and Thunderbird for me! Not all of Thunderbird transfered, I'm missing 8 t0 10 separate folders and all of my Email address! Can you help me! Thanks Danny Dimperio

Hello, redminote 12 pro 5G (hyper OS 3.03.0) has permission to use the camera. but when I want to scan the QR code generated by Thunderbird on PC, nothing happens. However, I did manage to import my accounts on a Xiaomi tablet. An idea or an alternative for transferring the accounts? Thank you in advance for your help. PS: My PC is running Linux mint, does it make a difference?

I use Thunderbird as a POP server and keep some historic read emails in my inbox as well as archiving others to local folders. I am moving to a new windows 11 computer from an old windows 8 computer. So I exported my Thunderbird profile on the old computer, copied it across to the new computer, installed Thunderbird on it, then imported the profile. All my local folders are there with their historic emails, but there are no read emails in the inbox, only the unread ones ?? Be grateful for any explanation of why this is and how I get them back. thanks Martyn Jones

Put up a message regarding support to resolve issue with Thunderbird this morning. Cannot see the message or if any answers? Query was ref downloading email & history to Thunderbird while moving to another server provider (Gandi) and all history now missing.

Recently my HP PC crashed, and since had its old hard drive updated to a new solid state drive. Basically I am lead to believe is was a problem caused by a security update from Microsoft. My old system was Windows 10, now updated to 11. A copy was taken of the old drive and I was advised that all of the apps etc could be accessed from a folder on my desk top. Not really the case at all. In the mean time I have manually added back all the apps etc that I would have been using. OK, my question is, I have downloaded the email account and set it up OK. Is there any way all of my old stored emails and folders can be restored and copied to my new OS. If not, I can survive. Probabley a good idea to loose some of the old data. Thanks in advance

Hello dear forum Here are the details: Account type: Microsoft Exchange (via OWL) Antivirus software and firewall used: Bitdefender I have the following problem: I copied the mbox files from the active account (profile) to Local Folders (as described in some forums), both with and without *.msf files (seems this makes no difference to the problem). Then I start Thunderbird, and all folders and subfolders appear in Local Folders. However, when I go into one of these copied folders or subfolders, it only displays a single email. The copied folder is the same size as the original, but no other emails are displayed, and this is repeated in every subfolder. I employed the repair function with no result. The import/export tool NG only copies half of the emails. The total is 4.25 GB. I can only copy the emails manually via copy/paste, but this is very error-prone and takes a very long time. Has anyone had experience copying mbox files and managed to do it successfully? I would be very grateful for any advice.

the thunderbird on the old laptop still showes all emails back until 2022. after copying the profil to the new laptop as described on the mozilla video, thunderbird took all settings but at one of the email accounts it just showes emails back to may 2026. The rest has disappeared. I tried all fixing experiences I found on internet but it doesn´t work. This special Email account had the pop3 - setting.

Hello everyone,

I am hoping someone can help me recover some EXTREMELY important emails for a legal matter. I was trying to export an entire nested Gmail label (WORK/TNC/TNC DISPUTE) to PDF.

It's a lot of emails spanning from April 2024 that I had painstakingly been going through and labeling to get them ready to print to use as evidence for a work dispute. When faced with the task of having to print all those emails to pdf, one by one, I wanted to chew my own arm off!

I'm convinced there must be another way to bulk print to pdf......and so I went down a few rabbit holes in search of my quick fix.....(I'm not trying to be lazy, I just have very little time left to get this done, and right now I'm losing the will to live if my reality is that I will be busy with this till the end of time.)

I read different threads and questions over the internet and found information that led me to Thunderbird. (Hi, Thunderbird :). I know there are paid apps or extensions that can bulk print to pdf, but I unfortunately don't have the money to pay for them (i.e. the work dispute - salary has been frozen for over 2 years and resignation was denied, so no income and held hostage by my employer - the emails I have lost are literally my future!). Sorry, enough of the why.....

I DID THIS:

So I read that I need to to create a folder in Thunderbird's "Local Folders" with the same name, and simply drag and drop the label from the original label to the local folder label (I did all of this in Thunderbird.

Unfortunately, this went VERY wrong. At first it seemed like it was doing something, but it didn't really do anything that I am aware of.....There was nothing in the local folder I had created and dragged the label to, there was nothing in the original label folder (everything was empty). I died! Then comforted myself with the fact that it's still in GMAIL.....that was the naive, optimistic me talking..... Headed over to Gmail, saw my label name, sigh of relief, clicked on the label name.....DIED 10000000000000 x over.......I continued to cry for the next 4 hours...

.That was the 12th of June.....I'm still trying to get them back.....I have been able to find a few bits of info here and there.....I just don't know how to get them back into Gmail for me to never try be so foolish again!!! (Until someone maybe shows me how to bulk print to PDF?????)....

Here is the current situation and the technical details of what I've found so far:

What happened:

Thunderbird executed a "Move" command instead of a "Copy".

The TNC DISPUTE label is in my Gmail web interface (the emails are not in the label, nor the the Trash and none of my settings anywhere are set to delete permanently etc., on exit).

The Local Folder in Thunderbird shows up on my screen, but it is completely empty.

What I have discovered in the background:

Account Type: IMAP connected to Gmail (*********@gmail.com). (i've replaced my email address name with stars to not put my private email on a public site)

The Local Files: I found the tracking path imap://**********%40gmail.com@imap.gmail.com/WORK/TNC/TNC DISPUTE. I also found the raw file directories containing TNC DISPUTE (no extension) and the TNC DISPUTE.msf index file.

The roadblock I am hitting:

I read that deleting the corrupted .msf index file while Thunderbird is closed will force it to rebuild the index and potentially reveal the emails. However, at first I couldn't safely get into the folder to do this:

When I clicked "Open Folder" from Help > More Troubleshooting Information, Windows threw an error: "Explorer.EXE - There was a problem sending the command to the program."

When I try to bypassed Thunderbird and use the Windows Run dialog with %appdata%\Thunderbird\Profiles, Windows threw another path error and refused to open it.

I ended up reinstalling Thunderbird and it fixed the access profile issue and I can now access where the data gets saved from Thunderbird.....

I just don't know what to do from here to get my (previously local foldered misshaped moved) folder back in my Gmail. (safely - to not corrupt everything or worse....delete it permanently.....)

The details of the missing emails (contents of the label that did copy to the local drive I think):

Directory Contents (as shown in the attached image)

1. TNC DISPUTE.sbd

• Type: File folder

• Date modified: 19 Jun 2026, 00:55

2. msgFilterRules.dat

• Type: DAT file

• Date modified: 12 Jun 2026, 05:49

• Size: 0 KB

3. TNC DISPUTE

• Type: File

• Date modified: 19 Jun 2026, 05:55

• Size: 670,605 KB

4. TNC DISPUTE.msf

• Type: MSF file

• Date modified: 12 Jun 2026, 22:31

• Size: 3 KB

5. Trash

• Type: File

• Date modified: 12 Jun 2026, 05:48

• Size: 0 KB

6. Trash.msf

• Type: MSF file

• Date modified: 12 Jun 2026, 06:27

• Size: 2 KB

7. Unsent Messages

• Type: File

• Date modified: 12 Jun 2026, 05:48

• Size: 0 KB

8. Unsent Messages.msf

• Type: MSF file

• Date modified: 12 Jun 2026, 06:24

• Size: 2 KB

Sorry for the long post, hopefully someone can help me go back in time and have my only issue be searching for ways to bulk print to pdf and not having to try restore the only emails that are actually worth being on there.

TIA xxx Margz