Thunderbird Community Forum

In both my desktop older installation (now updated) and my new laptop installation, when I go thru Account Settings and check off what I want, it all changes when I leave the setup. I uncheck the startup page, and when I open both versions of Bird, the startup page is there again. Same with table/card setup, and other options. Isn't there a "save" in Account settings? Thanks, Stacy

Hi, Just got computer back from shop where - rather than upgrade - they did a clean install of Win11. I was under the impression from them they'd backup everything on a new "backup" drive they installed to double my capacity as part of the upgrade process.

They're version of backing up Thunderbird left me with a folder "Thunderbird_profile_backup.zip" that is 9,698,657kb in size.

I am attempting to install Thunderbird on the essentially new computer and restore all data from the previous installation.

Is this even possible anymore at this point?

I have data in that file that is important not only financially but archived family info from now deceased members... I'd really like to recover it.

In short help! lol.

Mark

I'm dealing with a properly updated 'bird: 140.5.0 (32-bit) running on an equally updated Windows 10 desktop. First thing this morning, out of nowhere, I started getting an "unable to write the email to the mailbox..." message when sending, thus I could send but not save. And then I realized I wasn't receiving either, on all three accounts in my Thunderbird. I stopped everything and focused on trying to fix this. It's been an all-day, losing effort. So far.

I tried the various quick checks and fixes recommended here and there: I'm running the program as an administrator. I restarted the program. I rebooted the computer. I think I have enough disk space, but to be sure I deleted some bloat from possibly overly large files. I compacted, even though the program is configured to do that regularly. I temporarily disabled my antivirus program. I went into my webmail and deleted all messages that have arrived since my Thunderbird stopped receiving, in case one of them was corrupted. And probably some other attempts as well. Nothing has helped.

And now a second, even worse issue has fallen from the sky. Thunderbird opens. The folder list is where it always has been. The number of unopened messages in each folder is there in boldface, as always, but...the folders are all blank and I get the dreaded popup: "unable to open the summary file...." Have I lost my years' worth of carefully curated emails?

I've tried folder repair. I've deleted parent.lock. Etc. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

I will be super-grateful for any wisdom sent my way.

Three weeks ago I attempted to migrate my TB profiles from a 2014 mini-mac to a 2024 mini-mac. I thought I did a better job of backing up my profile using CCC than I actually did. In the migration to the new Mac I lost all my subfolders from the last 20 years. Apple created a new Profile and 2 restoration Profiles on the new Sequoia based mini-mac. I wasn't familiar with these and panicked. I copied those files, took them back to the original mac and tried to follow Toad-Hall's method of restoring the subfolders recommended to bmack1 on 23/11/22. However, I failed to carry out the step of going up two levels in the path of the Library to copy the entire "Thunderbird" file and only copied the Largest restoration file. This in turn, "contaminated" the 2014 original Thunderbird mail profile and only an Inbox and Trash subfolder remained. Today, after 3 weeks of searching and reading the generous contributions of this community, I came across a post explaining that the "sbd files" will show the subfolder headings I created in the original sought after Profile. And I found it!!! My problem is I have re-read Toad-Hall's method of re-installing the original Profile and tried to carry that out to the letter by placing the old Profile within a Thunderbird folder and switching it with the current one. But it's still listed as the "Restoration qqg...file" and probably shouldn't be, but I don't want to go any further and risk losing it because I feel I almost have it. So any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

Is it possible to open incoming mails in the same window as the list of e-mails, just like in Google? I get distracted from seeing suddenly my e-mail in another window/tab.

Thank you!!

My thanks again to sfhowes, Rick and others for assisting me to get back my ability to once again send e-mails from Thunderbird. Now for the next step.

Just days ago, I migrated my years of Thunderbird e-mails on a POP protocol to IMAP. Before doing so and before also uninstalling my old Thunderbird because of e-mail sending problems and then reinstalling a new version, I saved a profile. Now with the most current version of Thunderbird, I lost (i)a decades worth of saved inbox e-mails (but for the last 2 years), (ii)I lost all of my sent e-mails but a few odd ones, (iii)I lost my archived e-mails in Local Folders and (iv) I lost all of my contacts and saved group e-mail address lists.

My profile is saved on an external hard drive. Obviously the new installed version of Thunderbird must have somehow found the last 2 years of my inbox e-mails but nothing beyond that as mentioned above. Can you share please a recommended procedure where I can better import what I assume I saved correct on the profile I saved twice (I saved a master folder named Profile and separately saved 4 folders - 2 folders ending in default and 2 ending in default-release. Thank you.

Hi all,

After thoroughly searching this database, I could not locate an answer to the issue I am facing, although there seem to have been several similar cases.

My former university has recently decided to delete alumni email accounts, so I am using Thunderbird for email transferring from university to GMail (added both accounts to Thunderbird and then began copying emails and folders). Transfer is slow, depending on the server capabilities etc., but I am going folder by folder and so far it has been fine. I began the transfers a week ago.

Last night I noticed my Thunderbird inbox for my school is not showing anymore. The profile folder is only showing one file (.msf) for Inbox, instead of what should be, in my understanding, two files.

Thunderbird is still communicating well with the university email server because I made a folder rearrangement on the university webmail service (outlook.com) and it showed on Thunderbird. In addition, all my Inbox emails appear fine on the university webmail service (outlook.com).

Any ideas? This is obviously important and urgent.

Thank you in advance.

To be clear, I seriously doubt the problems I am encountering are TB's fault! The problems may be my fault since I've grown older, I've tended (believed) using new versions of software present my mind a BIGGER challenge than using the older software/version I have been successfully using? I'm still using Version115.10.1

After our ISP chose to start using Zimbra Oct. 7, 2025 and their tech support could not assist me in getting TB working the had me remove POP3 settings for TB and change to IMAP with their software.

FINALLY someone helped me get TB working with IMAP. For 3 days grrr. Now the ISP says I need to use their web mail, Zimbra.

So might downloading the current TB version and somehow get the In box, all the folder contnets etc. over - into the new TB help?

I was going to backup everything tonight, now I have little to NO hope, without help!

THANKS & remain WELL plus be SAFE!

Robin

When sending an email using the keyboard shortcut, the settings tell me that I can set TB to give me a confirmation prompt. Why can't I get a confirmation prompt when using the Send button? Is there any way to make TB do that?

I set TB to run a spell check before sending, and that gives me an opportunity to cancel the Send operation. But it only works if the email contains a misspelling.

Thank you.

The tree I made for LOCAL/SUBFOLDERS...is now IN A CRAZY .mst unreadable computer language. I need all the files contained in this tree to go back to readable. Gerry

Hi, I've set up TB successfully on a new PC and been using it a while. Then I noticed my local folders archive group of subfolders was missing. I followed some instructions about moving local folders file across from the old to the new version.

Now I see the individual archive folders without the folder group name 'archive'.

Also, there are a couple of other files not visible on the new platform although they were in the original installation local files and were copied across.

I was careful to ensure the same version running on both PCs. Also that TB was closed when copying files across.

Any pointers appreciated!

The File (saving to a folder) Recent function used to have the folders alphabetically. Some genius thought to reorganize the Recent folders to be in chronological order. Is there a setting to have the Recent folders be in alphabetical order again? I could not find anything. Thanks in advance.

Hi. I have over 20,000 messages in my Inbox. I've been sometimes having trouble moving messages into folders, so I thought it would be a good idea to reduce the number of messages in my Inbox. But I can't delete or move messages in the Inbox. When I select messages and enter command to move them to a folder, or ask to delete them, nothing happens. I am a Thunderbird supporter, and I love this program. Thanks for your work! Any advice appreciated. Connie

Tuesday Oct. 7, our ISP converted to a new e-mail program. I could NOT log in/on I called our ISP's help desk. The 'technician' could not help me log in to our Thunderbird POP 3 account. He had me, WITHOUT asking if I had essential - legal - medical-etc. e-mails in the IN BOX or in folders! He NEVER warned/cautioned all ?would? be lost - GONE.

I URGENTLY need to recover all TB POP3 IN BOX & e-mails in folders. I need to access legal messages today, if possible.

If Mozilla does not have a recovery program, what do I do? I am not seeking to recover ' deleted messages (unless his having me change from the POP3 account to a 'new' IMAP account is the same as ' "delete" '.

Any & all prompt responses APPRECIATED! Remain WELL & Be SAFE!

Robin

Hello Thunderbird Team I am facing a crisis and am praying you can help me. I have been using Thunderbird since 2021. I had setup my account and archives by year containing messages in Folders (Inbox, Sent & Deleted). During a recent laptop migration, I accidentally deleted my profile on my old laptop. I immdeiately recreated it. However now all email stored in my inbox has disappeared. Second, I cannot seem to locate the archives. So I have 2 requests for urgent support: 1. How do I locate the messages in my inbox prior to deleting my profile? 2. How can I recreate the archive with folders? I can see that the profile folder is a massive 22 GB. So the data is there somewhere. Please help me recreate my email profile so I doi not face a business crisis. Thank You Warm regards Milind

I have spent 3 hours trying to figure this out. Nothing works for me.

Authentication always fails yet when I log into Outlook it always works.

I turned off using the new hub and was able to setup my email account but it told me OWL was not active (or something about OWL).

Godaddy is my provider.

What am I not doing correctly?