Hi Peter

It's not possible to copy local folders from desktop to the phone.

1. The apps data is stored in the secure area of the phones storage and only accessible with a rooted phone. 2. The way Thunderbird for Android email data is stored is likely very different and incompatible with the desktop application given it's legacy K-9 heritage.

What type of connection to the server are you using, Imap or pop3?

IMAP: The app downloads folders and their content from, and keeps them synchronized with the server. You'll likely need to enable sync on folders beyond the standard ones such as Inbox. This is done by selecting the account > manage folders > [Folder Name]: toggle sync or push.

At the moment, the app don't have the ability to create, delete or rename folders. This currently must be done on the server's web portal or another email client.

POP3: The protocol itself doesn't support the concept of folders. It only downloads new emails within the inbox. Any folder management is done locally on the client by the user.

I don't use POP3 so I'm unable to confirm if Thunderbird for Android supports this.

2nd attempt

Thank you for your reply. I think I shall leave well alone ! Regards Peter Smith