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How to move Thunderbird folders and contents to Outlook?

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  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

RMShane
RMShane
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I'm getting a new computer tomorrow, and I want to discontinue using Thunderbird. How do I export my Thunderbird folders and their content to Outlook?

I'm getting a new computer tomorrow, and I want to discontinue using Thunderbird. How do I export my Thunderbird folders and their content to Outlook?

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Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Thunderbird stores emails in mbox files. Outlook uses pst files.

Thunderbird profile is located here: C: Users/User name/Appdata/Roaming/Thunderbird/ Profiles/profile name/ The 'Mail' folder contains pop mail account name folders and the 'Local Folders' mail account.

The mail account name folder will contain the mbox files. mbox files are text files and do not have any extensions and they contain emails. Emails are listed one after the other in the order downloaded. If you see any folders with *.sbd extension it means you had subfolders - the .sbd folders may contain mbox files. The files with .msf extension do not contain emails, so ignore them.


ImapMail folder contains imap mail accounts - but as these emails are all stored on the server, you just need to create those accounts in Outlook and set up as Imap accounts. You do not need to worry about those types of account.

To export emails in .eml format: Suggest you create a Folder on desktop and called 'Export-EML' Create a folder in the 'Export-EML' folder ready to receive emails - I'm suggesting you use same name as folder which has mails you want to export, so at least you know what they are.

Create a folder in 'Export-EML' folder and called it the same name as folder in Thunderbird eg: 'Inbox'. Select 'Inbox' folder to see list of emails. select first email and then use 'Ctrl+A' to highlight all emails Right click on highlighted emails and use 'Save as' Locate the 'Export-EML' folder and select the 'Inbox' folder. Then click on 'Select Folder' button.

Repeat this process untill all of your emails have been saved as .eml files.

Additional: It is possible to use an addon extension to export folders as mbox files and/or export emails as eml files. ImportExportTools NG is the addon. https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/importexporttools-ng/


You could then try to obtain a file conveter to get mbox files converted to pst. I believe there is a way to import the eml files but not directly. TRy this info: https://www.msoutlookhelp.com/blog/import-eml-into-outlook/