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How to move Thunderbird data (accounts, messages, passwords) to a new computer.

{for win} [[Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywJ6eQwhb78]] {/for} Thunderbird stores your data in a separate location, away from the {for win}program files{/for}{for mac,linux}application{/for}, called your [[Profiles - Where Thunderbird stores your messages and other user data|profile folder]]. To move your data, copy your profile folder to the equivalent location on your destination computer. # <u>On your source computer</u>, {for win,linux}click on the menu button [[Image:Fx57Menu]], then go to {menu Help} and select {menu Troubleshooting Information}.{/for}{for mac}go to the {menu Help} menu and select {menu Troubleshooting Information}.{/for} # Click on {for win}{button Open Folder}{/for}{for linux}{button Open Directory}{/for}{for mac}{button Show in Finder}{/for}. Your Thunderbird profile folder will open in {for win}Windows Explorer{/for}{for linux}File Browser{/for}{for mac}Finder{/for}. # {for win,linux}Close{/for}{for mac}Quit{/for} Thunderbird. # From your Thunderbird profile folder, {for win}go up three levels{/for}{for linux}go up two levels{/for}{for mac}open the {menu Go} menu and select {menu Enclosing Folder} two times{/for}. # [[T:contextmenu]] on the {filepath {for win, mac}Thunderbird{/for}{for linux}.thunderbird{/for} } folder, and select {for win,linux}{menu Copy}{/for}{for mac}{menu Copy "Thunderbird"}{/for}.{for linux}{note}'''NOTE''': {filepath .thunderbird} is a hidden folder. Make sure you have Linux set to show hidden files.{/note}{/for} # <u>Go to the drive you are using to transfer your data</u>, then {for win,linux}right-click{/for}{for mac}hold down the {key Ctrl} key while you click{/for} inside the drive, and select {for win,linux}{menu Paste}{/for}{for mac}{menu Paste Item}{/for}. # <u>On your destination computer</u>, {for win,linux}right-click{/for}{for mac}hold down the {key Ctrl} key while you click{/for} on copy of the Thunderbird folder you created in the previous step, and select {for win,linux}{menu Copy}{/for}{for mac}{menu Copy "Thunderbird"}{/for}. # Open Thunderbird, and close the account setup window if it appears. # {for win,linux}Click on the menu button [[Image:Fx57Menu]], then go to {menu Help} and select {menu Troubleshooting Information}.{/for}{for mac}Go to the {menu Help} menu and select {menu Troubleshooting Information}.{/for} # Click on {for win}{button Open Folder}{/for}{for linux}{button Open Directory}{/for}{for mac}{button Show in Finder}{/for}. Your Thunderbird profile folder will open in {for win}Windows Explorer{/for}{for linux}File Browser{/for}{for mac}Finder{/for}. # {for win,linux}Close{/for}{for mac}Quit{/for} Thunderbird. # From your Thunderbird profile folder, {for win}go up three levels{/for}{for linux}go up two levels{/for}{for mac}open the {menu Go} menu and select {menu Enclosing Folder} two times{/for}. # [[T:contextmenu]] inside the folder, and select {for win,linux}{menu Paste}{/for}{for mac}{menu Paste Item}{/for}. # When prompted, choose to replace your current data. {note}'''If you have used the profile manager to store your data in a custom location''', [[Using Multiple Profiles|create a new profile]] in the same location as your {filepath prefs.js} file. Thunderbird will use the already existing data.{/note}