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Installing Thunderbird profile on new computer

  • 3 replies
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  • Last reply by david

I want to install Thunderbird on my new computer (Windows 11) from my old (Windows 10). But I cannot open the downloaded version of Thunderbird - it keeps saying there is no profile. Of course there is no profile before I have installed it! I de-installed and re-installed the Thunderbird program, but it keeps saying the same thing. How can I open Thunderbird to install the profile?

I want to install Thunderbird on my new computer (Windows 11) from my old (Windows 10). But I cannot open the downloaded version of Thunderbird - it keeps saying there is no profile. Of course there is no profile before I have installed it! I de-installed and re-installed the Thunderbird program, but it keeps saying the same thing. How can I open Thunderbird to install the profile?

Chosen solution

did you download from thunderbird.net? assuming the answer is yes, do this: at windows task bar, enter %appdata% in search window and press enter This should take you to the appdata\roaming window in explorer if there is a thunderbird folder, delete it Now, install thunderbird, start once and then exit

Now follow these steps:

  1. ensure thunderbird is NOT running on old machine
  2. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
  3. this should open windows file explorer in Appdata\roaming folder
  4. highlight the Thunderbird folder and copy to external media
  5. ensure thunderbird is installed on second computer, started once and NOT running
  6. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
  7. you should be in Appdata\roaming folder , copy&paste the exported Thunderbird folder there. This may prompt to overwrite an existing folder of same name. allow it
#   start thunderbird and all should be there
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All Replies (3)

Chosen Solution

did you download from thunderbird.net? assuming the answer is yes, do this: at windows task bar, enter %appdata% in search window and press enter This should take you to the appdata\roaming window in explorer if there is a thunderbird folder, delete it Now, install thunderbird, start once and then exit

Now follow these steps:

  1. ensure thunderbird is NOT running on old machine
  2. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
  3. this should open windows file explorer in Appdata\roaming folder
  4. highlight the Thunderbird folder and copy to external media
  5. ensure thunderbird is installed on second computer, started once and NOT running
  6. enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
  7. you should be in Appdata\roaming folder , copy&paste the exported Thunderbird folder there. This may prompt to overwrite an existing folder of same name. allow it
#   start thunderbird and all should be there

Thanks a lot, David!

You're very welcome. :)

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