How to Backup and Restore Thunderbird Emails (Windows and Mac Guide)

Mozilla Thunderbird is a very popular email client that millions of people around the world use. It offers a range of features that make using and managing your email easy. However, if you plan to make changes to your Thunderbird emails or move them to another computer, you'll need to back them up first. As such, it's important to know how to back up and restore your Thunderbird emails on both Windows and Mac computers.

This article explains why you should back up and restore your Thunderbird emails and describes three different methods, along with answering some common questions about backing up and restoring Thunderbird emails.

Why back up and restore Thunderbird mail?

There are many reasons why you might want to back up your email, but one of the most common is if you're switching email providers, like from Gmail to Microsoft Outlook. You'll want to back up your email first so that you don't lose any important emails with crucial information.

Backing up your email also protects you in case your computer crashes or gets a virus, since you will be able to retrieve your emails. Without a backup, they may be lost forever.

Lastly, backing up and restoring emails in Thunderbird can save you time when setting up your email on a new computer. You won't have to reconfigure all your email settings; just restore the backup file.

< a id="2" name="2">3 Ways to Backup and Restore Thunderbird Emails on Windows or Mac

You can back up and restore your Thunderbird mail using one of three methods on a Windows or macOS computer. Here's a brief overview of each:

Method 1: Use Todo Backup to Automatically Backup and Restore Email

Todo Backup Home is a powerful yet easy-to-use Windows backup and recovery tool that can help you quickly and easily back up and restore Thunderbird emails. With this method, you can create an image of your Thunderbird profile's mail folders and save it to a secure location. You can then use this image to restore your Thunderbird emails on your computer. It also allows you to back up your Thunderbird emails to external storage devices.

With various types of Backup, you can create a Scheduled Backup that automatically creates copies of your Thunderbird email.

Before you begin, you need to find the Thunderbird profile location. In Windows, the default location of the Thunderbird email folders is:

< span style="color: #3498DB;">C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\Mail.

< Image caption: The location in Windows >

**To back up your Thunderbird emails, follow these steps:**

Step 1. To start the backup process, click the Select what to back up button.

Step 2: There are four types of data to back up: files, disks, the operating system, and email.

Step 3: On the left side of the screen, you'll see a list of local and network folders. Click on a folder to expand it, then select the files you want to back up.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose where you want to save your backup file.

Click the "Options" button under "Backup Options" to ensure your backup is encrypted and set up a backup schedule. You can also initiate a backup at a specific time by clicking "Options" within the "Backup Schedule." Additionally, explore various other customizable options available here.

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5. You can save the backup file to your computer, Easystore cloud service, or a network-attached storage (NAS) device.

Step 6: Todo Backup lets you store your backups on third-party cloud storage or your own cloud.

To back up your data to a third-party cloud storage, choose “Local Drive,” then scroll down and add a “Cloud Device.” Enter your account information.

Then tap “Cloud Backup,” and sign in to your Edo account if you want to store the backup on Edo's own cloud service.

Click “Back Up Now” to start the backup. When it's finished, it will appear on the left side of the screen. Click on it for more options on how to manage the backup.

Here are the steps to restore your Thunderbird emails:

1. Launch tools Todo Backup and click "Browse to recover".

Click "Browse to Recover"

Step 2: Specify the backup destination and select the backup file you want to restore (the backup file created by AOMEI Todo Backup is in .pbd format).

Step 3: Select the recovery location. You can choose to recover data to a specific location or the original place.

Step 4. Tap “Continue” to start the restore process.

Method 2: Manually copy and paste the Thunderbird profile folder

If you don't want to use a third-party program, you can manually copy your Thunderbird profile. This involves copying the default location of the Thunderbird profile folder to an external storage medium like a USB drive or cloud storage service. To restore your emails, simply copy the backup back to its default location.

<strong>Now, to copy your Thunderbird account, follow these steps:</strong>

Step 1. Locate where Thunderbird is installed.

By default, the Windows Thunderbird profile folder is located at: C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\Email.

On a Mac, the Thunderbird profile is located at: ~/Library/thunderbird.

Second, locate your Thunderbird profile folder and copy it to an external storage device or a cloud-based service.

Step 3: Paste the copied Thunderbird profile into the corresponding location on your new computer.

Step 4: Open Thunderbird, and all of your email should be accessible from within the Thunderbird profile.

Method 3: Export and import Thunderbird emails using an add-on

Another way is to use an add-on to export and import emails between installations of Thunderbird, which is useful if you want to export your Thunderbird emails from one computer and import them into another. To do this, you will need to download the ImportExportTools NG add-on, and then export your emails in EML format.

Now, export your Thunderbird emails by following these steps:

Step 1. Open Thunderbird and install the ImportExportTools NG add-on.

< Image Source > < Image Description > Installing an extension < /img>

**Step 2.** Restart Thunderbird after installing the add-on. Select the mail you want to back up (for example, your Inbox), right-click, and choose "Import/Export" > "Export all messages in folder" > "EML format."

< Image credit | Mozilla | 2013 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Available as EML file >

Step 3: Choose the folder where you want to save your Thunderbird backup, then click “Select Folder.”

Then choose a location to save:

**To restore an email, you need to do the following:**

1. Open Thunderbird.

**Step 2.** Right-click on any folder, and choose “ImportExportTools NG > Import all mail from directory.” Select the Thunderbird backup you just created.

< Image credit | Mozilla | Description | Exporting emails from Thunderbird with an add-on >

Step 3: Choose where you want Thunderbird to save your messages, and click OK.

Step 4: Your Thunderbird emails should now be imported into that account.

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Final Thoughts

**Backing up and restoring Thunderbird email** is a straightforward process that can save you a lot of time and effort in the long run. Whether you use Windows or macOS, there are several methods you can use to back up and restore your Thunderbird email.

You can use a third-party program, such as Todo Backup, to create an image of your Thunderbird profile folder and restore your emails that way. Alternatively, you can simply manually copy and paste the Thunderbird profile files. You can also export and import Thunderbird emails with the ImportExportTools NG add-on.

If you're looking for an easier way to backup and restore your Thunderbird emails, Todo Backup Home is a good option. Whichever method you choose, remember to regularly backup and restore your Thunderbird emails to ensure your data is always safe.

Frequently Asked Questions About Backing Up and Restoring Thunderbird Email

How do I recover deleted emails in Thunderbird?

You can copy the Thunderbird profile folder from an external storage medium, such as a USB drive or a cloud storage service, and then paste it back to its default location to restore your Thunderbird mail. Alternatively, you could use a third-party program to create an image of the Thunderbird profile folder and use that to restore your Thunderbird mail.

How do I back up my Thunderbird inbox?

Tools Todo Backup is one of the best tools for backing up Thunderbird mail. It can create an image of your Thunderbird user folders and use it to restore your emails. Alternatively, you can manually copy the Thunderbird profile to an external storage device or cloud storage service for safekeeping.

Can I reinstall Thunderbird without losing my e-mail?

If you have a backup of your Thunderbird profile, you can reinstall Thunderbird without losing your emails. Copy the Thunderbird profile folder from an external storage device or cloud storage service, and then paste it into Thunderbird's default location after the installation is complete.

Does Thunderbird save emails locally?

Yes, Thunderbird saves your emails in a local Thunderbird profile folder. You can find the location of this folder by default in Thunderbird.