Import settings and data into Thunderbird for Android

Revision Information
  • Revision id: 287325
  • Created:
  • Creator: Roland Tanglao
  • Comment: WIP: do not localize, needs content obviously (blocked on this feature being finished); https://github.com/thunderbird/android-knowledgebase-issues/issues/5#issuecomment-2434198879
  • Reviewed: Yes
  • Reviewed:
  • Reviewed by: rtanglao
  • Is approved? Yes
  • Is current revision? No
  • Ready for localization: No
Revision Source
Revision Content
This feature is still being developed as part of Thunderbird for Android and Thunderbird for Desktop. Upgrade to the latest version of Thunderbird for Android beta for the latest version on Android.

How To Import from Thunderbird Desktop

Export for Mobile is available starting with Thunderbird Desktop 128.3.4 or Thunderbird beta 132 or newer. It is not available in older versions of Thunderbird.

Export Thunderbird Desktop settings

  1. Click ≡ > Tools > Export for Mobile.
  2. Tick the Email accounts you wish to export to Thunderbird for Android.
    Thunderbird 128 Export accounts to Thunderbird Mobile
  3. If you have accounts that are not using OAuth and you wish to export your passwords, you will see a Security section. Tick Include all accounts passwords under Security to export your passwords in the QR code.
  4. Click Export. A QR code will be displayed. Follow the steps below on your Android phone or tablet to scan the Thunderbird Desktop settings QR code. If you have many email accounts, multiple QR codes will be displayed when you scan from your Android device in the next step.

Import the Desktop settings into Thunderbird for Android

Open Thunderbird for Android on your phone or tablet and follow the steps below

First run

After you install Thunderbird for Android and run it for the first time, here's how to import settings from Desktop:

  1. Tap Get started on the initial screen.
  2. Tap Import settings > Scan QR code and scan the QR code from Thunderbird Desktop. Thunderbird for Android will display a confirmation message in the bottom left. If you have many email accounts, after scanning the first QR code, another code will be displayed and scanned until all account settings have been setup.
  3. Ensure the email accounts you want to import are all ticked. Tap Import.
  4. If your account uses OAuth instead of password authentication or you have chosen not to import your passwords, you will be prompted for your passwords. Follow the prompts to complete your import.

Subsequent runs

Once you have set up an email account, the next time you import email settings, the process will be slightly different:

  1. Tap ≡ at the top left > tap the gear icon:gear icon at the bottom left.
  2. Tap Import settings > Scan QR code and scan the QR code from Thunderbird Desktop. Thunderbird for Android will display a confirmation message in the bottom left. If you have many email accounts, after scanning the first QR code, another code will be displayed and scanned until all account settings have been setup.
  3. Ensure the email accounts you want to import are all ticked. Tap Import.
  4. If your account uses OAuth instead of password authentication or you have chosen not to import your passwords, you will be prompted for your passwords. Follow the prompts to complete your import.

How To Import from K-9 or other Thunderbird for Android apps

Open Thunderbird for Android on your phone or tablet:

First run

After you install Thunderbird for Android and run it for the first time, here's how to import settings from K-9 or Thunderbird from Android:

  1. Tap Get started on the initial screen.
  2. Tap Import your account settings now > tap Import from app.
  3. Tap the email app you wish to import your email account settings from either (K-9 Mail or another release of Thunderbird for Android e.g. Beta).
  4. Ensure the email accounts you want to import are all ticked. Tap Import.
  5. If your account uses OAuth instead of password authentication or you have chosen not to import your passwords, you will be prompted for your passwords. Follow the prompts to complete your import.

Subsequent runs

Once you have set up an email account, the next time you import email settings, the process will be slightly different:

  1. Tap ≡ at the top left > tap the gear icon:gear icon at the bottom left.
  2. Tap Import settings > tap Import from app.
  3. Tap the email app you wish to import your email account settings from either (K-9 Mail or another release of Thunderbird for Android e.g. Beta).
  4. Ensure the email accounts you want to import are all ticked. Tap Import.
  5. If your account uses OAuth instead of password authentication or you have chosen not to import your passwords, you will be prompted for your passwords. Follow the prompts to complete your import.

Not seeing all your accounts?

Some emails accounts may be disabled because they are not supported by Thunderbird for Android: The following configurations are NOT supported (See Bug 1919786 for full details):

  • GSSAPI
  • NTLM
  • TlsCertificate
  • TryStartTls. See Bug 1868517
  • More than one outgoing server is not supported.
  • Non-ASCII email addresses are not supported.