If I uninstall and then reinstall Thunderbird, will I lose emails and/or folders?
I've been having a number of problems with Thunderbird recently and I'm hoping that deleting and reinstalling the app might help. But I worry that I will lose emails by doing this. I'm also wondering if the numerous folders I've set up will disappear as well. The issues I've been having, by the way, are emails consistently going into the wrong folder and, most recently, constantly being asked for my passwords. (I have emails from four email addresses being downloaded by Thunderbird.) I've had the password issue in years past, but it always seemed to resolve itself.
Chosen solution
I suggest installing over the old one, assuming both versions came from thunderbird.net. To be totally safe (assuming Windows), you could do this to backup the profile:
- ensure thunderbird is not running
- enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
- this should open windows file explorer in Appdata\roaming folder
- highlight the Thunderbird folder and copy to external media
All Replies (4)
Chosen Solution
I suggest installing over the old one, assuming both versions came from thunderbird.net. To be totally safe (assuming Windows), you could do this to backup the profile:
- ensure thunderbird is not running
- enter %appdata% in search window on task bar and press Enter key
- this should open windows file explorer in Appdata\roaming folder
- highlight the Thunderbird folder and copy to external media
Reinstalling Thunderbird went well, but, unfortunately did not solve the issues I've been having. Specifically, it keeps asking for my passwords, it no longer automatically downloads emails (I actually have to close the program and reopen it for that to happen) and it is moving emails into folders where they don't belong. I have a number of filters to direct emails to specific folders. The ones going into the wrong folders, however, have no filters associated with them and should just be in my inbox.
Should I mark this solved, as this particular question was about the issue of deleting and reinstalling Thunderbird and not about the issues I just mentioned?
YES, definitely. I always recommend focusing on the problem, and not on a possible solution. With a fresh post, you are more likely to get the attention of persons familiar with that issue. :)
Perhaps continue your problem where you have first described it, at https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1563231
Reinstalling rarely helps anything. But it shouldn't lose your folders https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data
You must log in to your account to reply to posts. Please start a new question, if you do not have an account yet.