Compare Revisions

How to move Thunderbird data (accounts, messages, passwords) to a new computer.

{for win} [[Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywJ6eQwhb78]] {/for} Thunderbird stores your data in a separate location, away from the {for win}program files{/for}{for mac,linux}application{/for}, called your [[Profiles - Where Thunderbird stores your messages and other user data|profile folder]]. To move your data, copy your profile folder to the equivalent location on your destination computer. # {for win,linux}Click on the menu button [[Image:Fx57Menu]], then go to {menu Help} and select {menu Troubleshooting Information}.{/for}{for mac}Go to the {menu Help} menu and select {menu Troubleshooting Information}.{/for} # Click on {for win}{button Open Folder}{/for}{for linux}{button Open Directory}{/for}{for mac}{button Show in Finder}{/for}. Your Thunderbird profile folder will open in {for win}Windows Explorer{/for}{for linux}File Browser{/for}{for mac}Finder{/for}. # {for win,linux}Close{/for}{for mac}Quit{/for} Thunderbird. # From your Thunderbird profile folder, go up three levels. # [[T:contextmenu]] on the ''Thunderbird'' folder, and select {for win,linux}{menu Copy}{/for}{for mac}{menu Copy "Thunderbird"}{/for}. # Go to the drive you are using to transfer your data, then {for win,linux}right-click{/for}{for mac}hold down the {key Ctrl} key while you click{/for} inside the drive, and select {for win,linux}{menu Paste}{/for}{for mac}{menu Paste Item}{/for}. # On destination computer, {for win,linux}right-click{/for}{for mac}hold down the {key Ctrl} key while you click{/for} on your backup Thunderbird folder, and select {for win,linux}{menu Copy}{/for}{for mac}{menu Copy "Thunderbird"}{/for}. # Open Thunderbird, and close the account setup window if it appears. # {for win,linux}Click on the menu button [[Image:Fx57Menu]], then go to {menu Help} and select {menu Troubleshooting Information}.{/for}{for mac}Go to the {menu Help} menu and select {menu Troubleshooting Information}.{/for} # Click on {for win}{button Open Folder}{/for}{for linux}{button Open Directory}{/for}{for mac}{button Show in Finder}{/for}. Your Thunderbird profile folder will open in {for win}Windows Explorer{/for}{for linux}File Browser{/for}{for mac}Finder{/for}. # {for win,linux}Close{/for}{for mac}Quit{/for} Thunderbird. # From your Thunderbird profile folder, go up three levels. # [[T:contextmenu]] inside the folder, and select {for win,linux}{menu Paste}{/for}{for mac}{menu Paste Item}{/for}. # When prompted, choose to replace your current data. {note}'''If you have used the profile manager to store your data in a custom location''', [[Using Multiple Profiles|create a new profile]] in the same location as your {filepath prefs.js} file. Thunderbird will use the already existing data.{/note}