Backup Made Easy: 4 Easy Methods to Backup Thunderbird Mailbox

Updated On - April 3, 2024 by Armaan | Reading Time: 5 minutes

In this blog, we explain 4 manual ways to backup Thunderbird emails to user computer. All the steps describe in details. Read carefully and perform the backup task by yourself. Lets start…

Mozilla created Thunderbird, an open-source (which means free to use or unpaid program) email client that is widely used. Like Outlook, it’s also one of the leading email clients for both individual and organizational usage. Users have the opportunity to exchange valuable messages, attachments, contacts, etc. through it.

But have you ever thought about a Thunderbird email backup? The primary purpose of Thunderbird backup is to protect precious information and create additional copies. Sometimes when you are unable to obtain your Thunderbird emails, it’s absolutely a bad sign for you, we know.

Related Post: How to Open PST File into Thunderbird?

Therefore, we are recommending and focusing on the fact of backing up all the email data from your Thunderbird. A backup can also save you from losing your valuable email data while you try to migrate to another email client. This post is going to provide the detailed procedure to keep a backup of all your emails from Thunderbird.

Benefits of keeping a backup of Thunderbird Mailbox

• Backup reduces the volume of the email inbox, making it more responsive to email messages.
• Whenever the existing mailbox becomes malicious, having saved emails on the storage device can come in handy during an emergency.
• Thunderbird’s authentication mechanisms are not quite as reliable as those of Outlook, so computer viruses and other types of malware can effortlessly infiltrate it. Keeping a backup decreases the hazard of better overall security and privacy.
• Despite the fact that Thunderbird is mainly a free to use (open-source) program, there are no regular updates or technical assistance available to assist users and keeping a backup can prevent permanently lost valuable data.

4 Verified Methods to Backup Thunderbird mailbox to Hard Drive

• 1st Method: Backup Thunderbird emails as zip file
• 2nd Method: By Using third-party add-on to backup emails
• 3rd Method: Keep a backup of individual emails
• 4th Method: Use Outlook to keep a backup of your Thunderbird emails

Converting Thunderbird MBOX files to a different format like PST is the best and easiest solution, we think. However, we have described some more solutions here. Give your kind attention to reading it.

1st Method: Backup all emails in Thunderbird as a zip file

It is so simple to save Thunderbird emails and text messages as a .zip file. It’s just a matter of a few steps. Follow the instructions underneath to conduct an email backup in zip format.

1. Launch Windows Explorer (the search icon, which is at the up-right side) and type “%Appdata%” into the search field, then press enter.
2. Alternatively, you can use the ‘run command’ (The keyboard shortcut is “Windows+R”) to input “%Appdata%” and then press Ok.
3. You will arrive at this “C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming” location after completing the first or second step.
4. Swipe all the way down to locate the Thunderbird folder.
5. Right-click on the Thunderbird folder and then choose the Send > “Compressed (Zipped) folder” option.
6. Sit tight for your Thunderbird document to be duplicated and compressed into a zip-encoded format.

2nd Method: Use a third-party add-on to backup emails

• Start Thunderbird and configure the “ImportExportTools NG” add-on.
• Try to relaunch Thunderbird after installing the extension or add-on
• Then right-click on a directory you would like to backup (for example, Inbox) and select Backup.
• Afterwards, select “ImportExportTools NG”, then “Export folder”, and lastly, select “EML format”. In this way, all of the emails in the folder or directory will be backed up on a hard drive in EML format.
• Select a destination for the folders to be saved and afterwards press the “Select Folder” option.

That’s all this procedure. However, if you need to keep the backup in PST format instead of EML, then you can try out the Regain MBOX to PST converter software.

3rd Method: Keep a backup of individual emails

Individual email messages can also be saved as EML files by utilizing Thunderbird’s decent options. Find the steps as follows:

• Start Thunderbird and select an email directory that you need to backup, including “Inbox” or some other directory.
• Then select emails from it. You can use the “shift” button to choose twice or multiple emails and use “ctrl + A” to select all the emails in the folder.
• And after that, click the right button over it and select “Save as”.
• Specify the directory in which you prefer to save Thunderbird email messages and tap “Select Folder.”
• It will store chosen emails in a specified directory in.EML extension, that you may access and view in almost every email client.

4th Method: Use Outlook to keep a backup of your Thunderbird emails

1. To begin, launch Thunderbird and navigate to the desired mailbox.
2. Then make a list of the email messages that you would like to save in the PST format.
3. Click the right button on it and select “Save As” from the list of options.
4. By tapping the “Select Folder” button, you can choose the folder to which you want to backup emails.
5. Now, start Outlook and make a fresh directory.
6. Drag and drop Thunderbird email messages into the Outlook workflow to save them.
7. Navigate to the “File” tab and next choose the “Open & Export” option under the “Import/Export” section.
8. Select the “Export to a file” choice and afterwards hit the “Next” button.
9. Select “Outlook Data File” and press the “Next” icon.
10. Afterward, choose the directory that restrains the specific emails which you prefer to download or export in PST format.
11. Assign your priorities and then tap “Finish” to download the PST file format.

However, instead of these manual steps, you have the opportunity to utilize the Regain MBOX to PST converter software and can smoothly convert your Thunderbird Mailbox to PST format. If you are thinking of moving to Outlook, then we think it’s going to be the most effective tool for you.

Free Download100% Secure Buy NowPrice: $39

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques1. How often should I perform a Thunderbird email backup?
Ans. The frequency of Thunderbird email backups depends on your email activity and the importance of the data. As a general practice, regular backups are recommended, especially before major system changes or updates or when planning to migrate to a different email client.

Ques2. What precautions should I take to ensure a seamless Thunderbird backup process?
Ans. To ensure a smooth Thunderbird backup process, make sure to carefully follow the provided instructions, double-check your actions, and back up regularly. It’s recommended to close Thunderbird during the backup process to prevent any potential conflicts with ongoing email activities.

Ques3. Why are PST files considered a better option to store data than MBOX file format?
Ans. Organizations and professionals suggest using PST files because of their portability with several email clients. Also, in PST files, users can store data more efficiently and encrypt them with passwords.

Ques4. How can I check that Regain’s tool is compatible with my MBOX files?
Ans. We have coded the software with a highly advanced algorithm compatible with MBOX files generated through more than 20 email clients. However, we provided a free version of the tool for your assurance. You can install the tool and evaluate it with your MBOX files.