Backing Up and Restoring Email in Thunderbird

Thunderbird is a free email client that’s easy to install and set up, packed with useful features.

Thunderbird lets you import emails, address book entries, RSS subscriptions, settings, and filters from other email programs and common address book formats.

You can connect to the mail server on your virtual hosting using an email client, following the settings provided in this guide.

When you set up Thunderbird, it creates a user profile that stores all your mail data (credentials, server settings, message archives). To restore your email, simply copy the profile folder and replace it in a new Thunderbird installation.

Locating Your Thunderbird Profile

Open Thunderbird and right-click on your email account name. Select Settings.

In the account settings window, click Server Settings. At the bottom right, under Message Storage, find the Local Directory field.

Copy the directory path for later use. Close the settings window and Thunderbird. Example path:

/Users/username/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/u0s5e1xn.default-release/ImapMail/mail.mecmep.site

Go to this path and copy the profile folder. To restore your email on another computer, either replace the existing profile with the copied one or update the Local Directory path to point to your data.

After updating the path, Thunderbird will prompt you to restart the client.

Your email restoration is now complete.

Importing Mail with the ImportExportTools Add-on

To install the add-on, open Add-ons and Themes.

Search for the add-on and install it.

Restart Thunderbird after installation. You’ll now have multiple import options for messages.

Importing from Windows Live Mail

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Go to the View tab and check Hidden items.

Windows Live Mail stores messages here:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\<account\_name>

3. In Thunderbird, select the folder where you want to import emails.
4. Right-click the folder and choose ImportExportTools NG → Import EML messages → Import individual EML files.

5. Select the folder containing your emails and click Open.

Thunderbird will import your messages.

Exporting Mail with the ImportExportTools Add-on

1. Locate the email account and the Inbox folder.
2. Right-click Inbox and select ImportExportTools NG → Export all messages in the folder.

3. Choose the export format:

   • EML — for importing later into Thunderbird on another computer.
   • HTML (with attachments) — to view emails with original formatting and attachments.

4. Select a folder to save the backup.

A backup of your emails will be created in the chosen folder.

Importing Mail from Apple Mail

1. From the main menu, select Import.

2. Choose Apple Mail → Continue.

3. Select Import from profile → Continue.

4. Choose Mail messages → Continue.

5. Click Start Import.

6. Once the import is finished, review the log of successfully imported folders and click Finish Import.

Your messages will appear in the Import from Apple Mail folder under Local Folders.

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