Thunderbird Community Forum

Hi, It worked flawlessly in the previous version. In version 153.0.2esr (64-bit), I can't drag and drop messages to a folder (e.g., Desktop). Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

So, I recently got rid of Spectrum as my internet & email provider. I have used the Archive function to archive all the emails from that account but still need to be able to access them after I remove the spectrum email account from Thunderbird. Does Archiving the emails keep them accessible or do I need to so something else. Further info, all of my emails are downloaded to thunderbird and not kept on the server, so they are physically on my computer inside thunderbird program

I backed up my Thunderbird folder on my old pc, and moved it to my new pc. When I started Thunderbird, the appearance of the Inbox, plus my Address Book, was moved to the new pc. I don't see the Local Folders (and all the messages I put into the Local Folders) from my old pc, on the new pc Thunderbird app. I checked that the "Profile Folder" under Troubleshooting / Application Basics, was selected for the profile I moved from the old PC. I can see in the profile folder all the Local Folders. Any idea on how to get Thunderbird to recognize these transferred Local Folders and contents, so I can continue to access them on my new pc running Thunderbird ? Thanks

Old PC died and will not start up. I bought a new PC and was able to recover most file in the initiating the new desktop. I installed Mozilla Thunderbird on the new PC, but when I opened it only 55 EMAILS were available with the oldest being about 2 weeks old dating back to July 16, 2026. Is there a time limit for maintaining EMAILS online? Also, all of my contacts and Calendar events are not available.

I had created several folders to save important EMAILS and none of those sub-folders are visible to me. How do I get to those folders and EMAILS? Contacts and calendar are not as important, but they were used all of the time to communicate and stay on schedule

I tried to import using the tool provided, but received the following message: Import failed unexpectedly, more information may be available in the error console.

I have lots of important information that I can't access!

Help

Environment:

Thunderbird: 153.0.2esr (64-bit) Operating system: Windows Occurs with multiple email accounts Reproduced on two different computers running the same Thunderbird version

Description:

After updating Thunderbird to version 153.0.2esr, released on 4 August 2026, emails can no longer be dragged and dropped from Thunderbird to the Windows Desktop or any folder in Windows Explorer.

The problem occurs with all tested email accounts and folders. It has been reproduced independently on two different Windows computers using the same Thunderbird version.

Saving an email manually with Ctrl+S works correctly and creates the .eml file. Normal drag-and-drop between folders in Windows Explorer also works. Only dragging an email from Thunderbird to Windows Explorer fails.

The issue also appears to affect third-party applications that use Thunderbird to create or send emails automatically.

Steps to reproduce:

Open Thunderbird 153.0.2esr on Windows. Select an email in any account or folder. Drag the email to the Desktop or another folder in Windows Explorer. Release the mouse button.

Actual result:

The email is not copied or saved to the selected Windows folder.

Expected result:

Thunderbird should export the email as an .eml file in the selected folder.

Additional information:

Ctrl+S successfully saves the same email. The issue affects every tested email account. Thunderbird extensions were disabled, but the problem remained. Thunderbird Troubleshoot Mode did not resolve the issue. Restarting Thunderbird, Windows Explorer and Windows did not resolve it. Thunderbird and Windows Explorer are not running with different elevation levels. The problem was reproduced on a second computer after installing the same Thunderbird version. No relevant error is shown in Thunderbird’s Error Console when the drag-and-drop operation fails. The issue was not present before the recent Thunderbird update.

This appears to be a regression in Thunderbird 153.0.2esr affecting email export through drag-and-drop and possibly Thunderbird’s integration with external applications.

I'm changing email servers and need the best way to automatically backup my complete(multiple domains and user accounts) emails in thunderbird to a separate drive or local machine before changing servers. I would prefer an automated way to do this so I can continue to update backup file routinely

I already back up my profile regularly to a remote drive

Thank you in advance for any help you can give.

I have Thunderbird on the old computer. For twenty+ years I have read the instructions for moving it to the new computer. i cannot understand/am not at all confident in my ability AND I have only ONE keyboard/mouse. I have to move it from one computer to the other to operate them.

Right now all email is on the old computer, no email is on the new computer. No email has ever been on my cellular telephone. One set of periforals - keyboard/mouse.

I DO have the Bravura, the Plugable transfer cable and accompanying software, and many other things came across, but not the Thunderbird.

I want to do the move/installation correctly so that not one stored email is lost or corrupted.

I need help.

To be really useful to me I need Thunderbird to be able to read my Outlook pst-files.

For years my practice has been to move emails from the ost-file to the pst-file too limit the size of the ost-file. Both files are localized on my computer but only the emails in the ost-file are in my gmail-account. So the method helps me limit the size of my gmail-account but still gives me total access to my email-history.

Without a similar possibility in Thunderbird it's difficult for me to leave Outlook, which I really want to. Can you help me?

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.

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.

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

I've done it before using ctrl-A and Print and got the date, sender and their address, and the subject line (I think in a csv file). I've since changed from Windows 10 to 11 and can't remember what I printed to. Trying it now and printing to PDF yields only the first entire message, but I don't want the message, I just want the sender (and date).

GmailをIMAPで使用。 19000件ほどの「すべてのメール」を、17000件ほど「ローカルにアーカイブ」したところ、他のPCで見られなくなった。 IMAPでは削除扱いだろうが、Gmailでは自動削除オフ&アーカイブするという処理がされているはず。 実際Gmail上ではすべてのメールに残っているし、iPadの Gmailアプリでもすべて見ることができる。

復旧する方法はないか。ローカルにアーカイブしたメールは残っているものもあるが、残っていないものも一部ある。

以下、AIの回答

② 今回の問題の本体

あなたの現象の本質はこれです：

❗ Gmail IMAPの「分割レスポンス」＋クライアントの「完了判定」

⸻

Gmail側

• All Mailを一括で返さない
• チャンク（分割）で返す
• 順序は保証されない

⸻