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How to move contacts from Thunderbird address book to MacBookAir

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 27 views
  • Last reply by wilddoc

wilddoc
wilddoc

I am a long-time desktop PC user with firefox and thunderbird. I bought a new apple laptop, and downloaded Firefox (which is working fine), but haven't added thunderbird. Is there any way to export my thunderbird contacts? If I download TB will they automatically show up? Apple Care tried to get the contacts through my email servers for 2 hours but couldn't help. Can you? I am NOT tech-savvy. Thanks for any help.

I am a long-time desktop PC user with firefox and thunderbird. I bought a new apple laptop, and downloaded Firefox (which is working fine), but haven't added thunderbird. Is there any way to export my thunderbird contacts? If I download TB will they automatically show up? Apple Care tried to get the contacts through my email servers for 2 hours but couldn't help. Can you? I am NOT tech-savvy. Thanks for any help.

Chosen solution

Where did you store the LDIF file on the laptop? If it isn't in Documents, navigate to the folder where it's located. If you copied it to a USB drive, select that drive in the Import window.

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All Replies (4)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor

On the desktop PC, open Address Book, select an address book (not All Address Books), Tools/Export (press Alt if the Menu Bar is hidden), save as type: LDIF. On the laptop, Tools/Import...Address books...Text file... select the LDIF file.

You can also copy abook.mab (Personal Address Book) and history.mab (Collected Addresses) from the profile folder of the PC to the profile folder on the laptop.

It's also possible to transfer the entire setup on the PC to the laptop by copying the Thunderbird folder (better, but requires knowledge of file management).

wilddoc
wilddoc Question owner

thanks for this. i did the following: "On the desktop PC, open Address Book, select an address book (not All Address Books), Tools/Export (press Alt if the Menu Bar is hidden), save as type: LDIF. On the laptop, Tools/Import...Address books...Text file... select the LDIF file."

then nothing: i arrived at a window which opened "Documents" on the macbook, which didn't contain the LDIF file, so i hit "Options", "LDIF" comes up, but what is the location? i tried Recent, Documents, not Pictures or Music, nothing in icloud drive, then Mac HD, nothing.

In "Thunderbird", the only option is "Applications" with a greyed out list, or it said it was trying to "eject" something from thunderbird. i am flummoxed.

HELP! again.

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor

Chosen Solution

Where did you store the LDIF file on the laptop? If it isn't in Documents, navigate to the folder where it's located. If you copied it to a USB drive, select that drive in the Import window.

wilddoc
wilddoc Question owner

i wrote a huge thank you note, but when i hit the button that you solved my problem, my note vanished.

kudos to you for answering my issue so well.

thank you thank you thank you.

s.