Are you using this method: Via 'Menu app icon: 'Tools' > 'Search Messages' OR via 'Menu Bar' toolbar : 'Edit' > 'Find' > 'Search Messages'

If yes, then once you have got search results click on 'Save as Search Folder' Choose where to save it and give it a suitable name

It will now appear as a 'Search Folder' in the Folder Pane. It will auto update as new mail arrives which matches criteria.

You can also edit it:

• Right click on Search Folder and select 'Properties'
• You can use 'Choose' to add or remove folders from any account or modify the conditions of the search.

Saved Search folders display like a normal folder but the emails themselves are not stored in the folder because it acts like a virtual folder. Emails are stored in the normal folders.

The Search Folder remains visible in the Folder Pane so you never need to repeat the search.

However, if you really do need an export so they are stored external to Thunderbird then when initially creating the search there is a 'Export' button bottom left and you can save in various formats eg: mbox file or individually as eml files.

"Saved Search" folders are virtual folders which are represented in the account folders in the Thunderbird profile folder depending whether they are created in an IMAP or a POP account. For my exemple I created a saved search folder in a IMAP account and named it "Anneton". It will be represented in the imap.xxx.xx account folder by a simple "Anneton.msf" file. The same saved search folder in a POP account would be represented in the "pop3.xxx.xx account folder by a "Anneton.msf" file plus an empty "Anneton" folder (see screenshot). These "saved-search.msf files can be transferred from one profile to another, provided that the latter contains the same accounts.

Thank you for your answers, I appreciate you taking the time to help.

@Toad-Hall It isn't the emails I want to export, but the search properties.

@Mapenzi Thank you, that is how I thought it should work and I have tried both importing the whole profile and copying over those .msf files. The search folders show up, but not the searches that should be in them.

See the screenshot. Each of those folders, including the parent 'Search' folder should contain saved searches. This is after copying over the .msf files and restarting Thunderbird.

According to http://kb.mozillazine.org/Saved_Search

In your profile folder, the file that stores the settings for your Saved Search folders is called "virtualFolders.dat".

According to http://kb.mozillazine.org/Saved_Search

In your profile folder, the file that stores the settings for your Saved Search folders is called "virtualFolders.dat".

I thought this might be the answer. However, when I copy over the file and restart Thunderbird it is immediately truncated to 1kb from the 369kb of the original file.

I think I'll have to back to rebuilding my searches manually. I could probably have had that done by now :o)

Again thank you for all the help.

I thought this might be the answer. However, when I copy over the file and restart Thunderbird it is immediately truncated to 1kb from the 369kb of the original file.

Copy & paste of the virtualFolders.dat file to another profile works, I have tested. But it only works if you have the same accounts and at least a part of the same messages in the destination profile. It is the same as copying and pasting the .msf files of the virtual folders to another profile.