How to Backup Thunderbird Emails to an External Hard Drive [Three Methods]

Why is it Necessary to Backup Thunderbird Emails to an External Drive?

Computer users might assume that Thunderbird email doesn't need backing up since its data is stored within the system. However, this notion is entirely incorrect. Should your computer fall victim to a virus or experience a system crash, your Thunderbird emails could become inaccessible. Creating a backup of your Thunderbird emails on an external hard drive offers numerous advantages.

1. Better data security. Creating a backup of Thunderbird emails on an external drive can enhance data security. Thunderbird's security features are not as strong as Outlook's, making it more susceptible to hacker attacks or virus infections.
2. Improved performance. Backing up Thunderbird emails to an external hard drive can decrease mailbox size and boost server performance, as the local server gains more available space.
3. Simplified Data Migration. When Thunderbird emails are stored on a hard drive, transferring them becomes easier. In cases where users need to export Thunderbird data to another system, the backup proves to be advantageous.

How to Backup Thunderbird Emails to an External Drive with Three Methods

1. Solution 1. Backup Thunderbird Profile
2. Solution 2. Export Thunderbird Emails Using Add-on
3. Solution 3. Use Save As Option to Backup Thunderbird Emails to External Drive

Now that you understand the significance of backing up your Thunderbird emails to an external hard drive, let's explore the methods to achieve this. There are three approaches to back up your Thunderbird mailbox items onto an external hard drive. Select the one that suits your requirements to create a backup of your Thunderbird emails.

Solution 1: Backup Thunderbird Profile

< a href="/backup-recovery/backup-thunderbird-profile.html">Backing up Thunderbird profile is an effective approach to create backups of your Thunderbird emails on an external drive. Here are the detailed steps for this method:

Step 1. Launch Thunderbird.

Step 2. Click on the three horizontal lines to display the menu options for your account.

Step 3. Click on Help, then select Troubleshooting Information.

Step 4. Navigate to the Profile Folder and click on Open Folder.

Step 5. It will open the profile directory after clicking on Open Folder.

Step 6. Navigate to the respective folder on the hard drive, then paste the data here after copying the desired folder.

Translate into English

Solution 2. Export Thunderbird Emails Using an Add-on To export your Thunderbird emails using an add-on, follow these steps: 1. Open Mozilla Thunderbird on your computer. 2. Click on the "Tools" menu (or the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner for newer versions) and select "Add-ons" or "Extensions." 3. In the Add-ons Manager window, search for "Export Emails" or "Backup" in the search bar at the top. 4. You will find various email export add-ons; one popular option is "Email Export" by David Barron. Select it and click on "Add to Thunderbird" to install it. 5. Once installed, restart Thunderbird if prompted. 6. Go to your "Local Folders" or the specific mailbox you want to export emails from. 7. Right-click on the folder you want to export and choose "Export Emails" or "Backup." It might be under "Message" or "File" depending on the add-on you've installed. 8. Follow the prompts in the add-on's wizard to choose the file format (e.g., PST, EML, MSG, or MBOX) and the destination location for the exported files. 9. Review your settings and click "Export" or "Start" to initiate the process. 10. Wait for the export to finish. The time it takes depends on the number of emails and their size. 11. Once completed, you can find your exported emails in the specified folder. Keep in mind that the exact steps may vary slightly depending on the add-on you choose. Always refer to the add-on's documentation for detailed instructions.

A dedicated add-on tool can facilitate exporting and importing emails from a Thunderbird account. To carry out such a backup of your Thunderbird emails, follow these steps: 1. Install the appropriate add-on: First, you'll need to find and install an add-on designed for backing up or transferring emails in Thunderbird. One popular option is "Export Emails to PST/EML/MSG" or similar tools that support exporting email data. 2. Open Thunderbird and access the Add-ons Manager: Launch Mozilla Thunderbird, then click on the "Tools" menu (or the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner for newer versions) and select "Add-ons" or "Extensions." 3. Search for the backup add-on: In the Add-ons Manager, use the search bar to look for the specific add-on you decided to use for backing up your emails. 4. Install and activate the add-on: Click on "Add to Thunderbird" or "Install Now" button next to the chosen add-on, and follow any prompts that appear during the installation process. Once installed, enable the add-on by ensuring it is activated. 5. Configure the add-on settings: Depending on the add-on, you may need to configure settings such as the output file format (PST, EML, MSG), the destination folder for the exported emails, or any other preferences. 6. Start the export process: Follow the instructions provided by the add-on to initiate the export of your Thunderbird emails. This might involve selecting the email folders you want to back up or specifying a date range. 7. Wait for the export to complete: The time it takes to export your emails will depend on the size of your email database and your computer's processing speed. Be patient while the add-on does its work. 8. Save and secure the backup: Once the export is finished, save the backup file to a secure location, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage service. It's essential to keep the backup safe and away from your main email client to ensure data redundancy. 9. (Optional) Import emails back to Thunderbird: If needed, you can use the same or a similar add-on to import the backed-up emails back into your Thunderbird account, following the provided instructions. Remember that this process may vary depending on the specific add-on you choose. Always refer to the add-on's documentation or support resources for detailed instructions.

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

Step 2. Restart Thunderbird after installing the add-on.

Step 3. Choose the folder you wish to back up and right-click on it.

Step 4. Select ImportExportTools NG, then choose the Export folder option, and finally opt for the EML format to back up your Thunderbird emails on a hard drive in EML format.

Step 5. Select a location on the hard drive to save the files and click on "Select Folder."

Solution 3. Use "Save As" Option to Backup Thunderbird Emails to External Drive

This is a commonly employed method to back up Thunderbird emails to an external hard drive. Here's how to backup Thunderbird emails to an external hard disk using the 'Save As' option: 1. Launch Mozilla Thunderbird on your computer. 2. In the main window, locate and select the email or emails you wish to back up. You can hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple emails. 3. Right-click on the selected email(s) and from the context menu, choose "Save As." 4. A dialog box will appear. Navigate to the location of your external hard drive. Ensure that the hard drive is connected and mounted properly. 5. Choose a folder where you want to store the backup files, or create a new one specifically for your Thunderbird backups. 6. From the "Format" dropdown in the "Save As" dialog, select the desired format for the backup. Usually, choosing "MBOX" or "MSG" formats is recommended as they preserve email structure and attachments. 7. Click "Save." The selected email(s) will now be saved in the chosen format on your external hard drive. 8. Repeat steps 2-7 for all folders and emails you want to back up. 9. After completing the backup process, it's a good practice to safely eject the external hard drive to prevent any data corruption. Remember to keep the backed-up files in a secure place and update them periodically to ensure the latest emails are included in the backup.

Step 1. Open Thunderbird.

Step 2. Select the emails you wish to save on the external hard drive.

Step 3. Click on the Menu button (represented by three horizontal lines) and then select Save As.

Step 4. Select a saving location by providing a folder name to save the chosen emails.

Step 5. Click on the Save button to initiate the backup process.

Another approach to backing up email, such as Outlook, is: Yet another method to create a backup of your email, particularly Outlook, involves:

Thunderbird is an email client developed by Mozilla. It is an open-source, web-based email application utilized by professionals and individuals alike for sending and receiving emails to convey essential data. Thunderbird can seamlessly operate on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. Essentially, it functions similarly to other email service providers, such as Outlook.

Thunderbird and Outlook are among the commonly used email service providers. Outlook is an email application provided by Microsoft that is compatible with multiple operating systems and devices, known for its user-friendliness. It can be easily integrated with various applications, making it a popular choice for both business and personal usage. Outlook is renowned for its excellent email deliverability and broad compatibility. Hence, knowing how to back up Outlook emails is crucial.

Fortunately, you can use third-party backup software, such as the tool Todo Backup, to back up Outlook.

Todo Backup Home is a professional and versatile backup solution. It functions as an Outlook backup software, simplifying the process of backing up your Outlook emails. You can utilize it to back up various file types, such as images, documents, videos, audio, and more. It offers the options for full, incremental, and differential backups, and enables saving the backups to multiple locations. Additionally, it provides 250GB of free cloud storage to cater to diverse storage requirements. Furthermore, it doubles as universal restore software to execute universal restores on your computer. In summary, this backup software offers a wide range of features for efficient backup purposes.

Conclusion

When users employ Thunderbird for professional purposes, it is essential to regularly backup their Thunderbird emails. This article outlines three methods to backup Thunderbird emails to a hard drive and introduces a practical backup utility for users to safeguard email clients like Outlook. Users can select a method based on their specific requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

< strong > 1. How do I move my Thunderbird folders to another drive? < / strong > To move your Thunderbird folders to another drive, follow these steps: 1. **Backup your data**: Before making any changes, it's essential to backup your Thunderbird profile. You can find the profile folder by opening Thunderbird, clicking on "Help," then "Troubleshooting Information." Under "Profile Folder," click on "Show Folder" or "Open Containing Folder." 2. **Create a compressed archive**: Compress the entire profile folder into a .zip or .7z file for safekeeping. 3. **Install Thunderbird on the new drive**: Install Mozilla Thunderbird on the destination drive where you want to move your folders. 4. **Close Thunderbird**: Make sure Thunderbird is completely closed before proceeding. 5. **Move the profile folder**: Navigate to the original profile folder location and copy the entire folder to the desired location on the new drive. 6. **Update Thunderbird configuration**: Open the Thunderbird installation on the new drive. It will create a new, empty profile if it doesn't find the existing one. To link to the moved profile, follow these steps: - Press `Ctrl+Shift+T` to open the Thunderbird profile manager. - Click "Create Profile." - Follow the prompts until you reach the "Choose a folder" screen. - Instead of creating a new folder, browse to the location where you moved the profile folder on the new drive and select it. - Finish the profile setup. 7. **Restore your data**: After linking to the moved profile, restart Thunderbird. Your folders and settings should be intact. 8. **Delete backup**: Once you've confirmed that everything is working correctly on the new drive, you can delete the backup archive. Remember that moving your profile to another drive may affect add-ons or customizations. If you encounter issues, check the Thunderbird support forums for additional help.

1. Locate the Thunderbird profile folder that you wish to move to another location. 2. Copy the entire profile folder to the new location or a USB drive. 3. Paste the profile folder into the new location.

2. Why do emails vanish from Thunderbird?

A common issue with POP is that it removes mail from the server when it's downloaded or retrieved. Consequently, when the mail is deleted on the server by another device accessing it, it appears to vanish from Thunderbird.

3. How can I recover deleted emails in Thunderbird?

To recover deleted Thunderbird emails from the Trash folder, follow these steps: 1. Open Mozilla Thunderbird on your computer. 2. On the left sidebar, locate and click on the "Trash" or "Deleted Items" folder. 3. Check the contents of the Trash folder to find the email(s) you want to recover. 4. If you can't find the email immediately, use the search bar at the top to search for keywords related to the email subject or sender. 5. Once you locate the desired email, right-click on it and select "Restore" or simply drag it back to your inbox or any other relevant folder. 6. The restored email should now be visible in its original folder. Please note that if the email is not found in the Trash folder, it might have been permanently deleted or removed from the system. In such cases, you may need to check your backup solutions or contact your email provider for further assistance.

1. Select your Thunderbird account. 2. Open the Trash folder and choose the message you wish to recover. 3. Right-click on the message and select "Move To." Choose the Thunderbird folder where you want to save the recovered message.