Thunderbird is an open-source email client developed by the Mozilla Foundation that stores all your emails, attachments, filters, contacts, and so on in a folder separate from the installation folder. Mozilla Thunderbird, like Microsoft Outlook, allows you to add and configure multiple IMAP or POP email accounts.

However, unlike Outlook, Thunderbird stores mailbox data in MBOX files. MBOX is a mailbox file that is widely supported by many email client applications, including Apple Mail, Eudora, and Opera Mail.

Because Thunderbird is used for business communications, it contains valuable data that must be backed up on a regular basis to avoid damage or corruption. You may also want to back up your Thunderbird emails before transferring them to other MBOX email clients or MS Outlook.

This guide has covered various methods for backing up your Thunderbird emails in various file formats for quick restore in various email clients, including MS Outlook.

Methods for backing up Thunderbird Emails

There are two methods for backing up Thunderbird emails.

• Copy the profile folder containing all MBOX files (from your Thunderbird email profile) to an external or network drive.
• Export Thunderbird mailbox (MBOX) data to PST, EML, PDF, HTML, RTF, and Office 365 formats.

NOTE: You will see.msf files (Mail Summary Files), which contain email header information, as well as other files with no extension. The files with no extension are MBOX files that must be copied and backed up.

• You can then use the ImportExportTools option to import the MBOX files into Thunderbird.

Alternatively, you can back up individual emails as EML files using Thunderbird’s options. To manually backup an individual mail folder, follow these steps:

• Open Thunderbird and select any email folder to back up, such as Inbox or another folder.
• Choose emails.  SHIFT to select multiple emails, or CTRL+A to select all emails for backup.
• Then, right-click and select Save As.
• Select a folder where you want to save Thunderbird emails and click “Select Folder.”
• This will save selected emails in a specific folder as
• EML files, which can be opened and viewed in any email client app

Manually backing up Thunderbird emails in other formats, such as PST, Office 365, RTF, PDF, or HTML, is not possible. Follow the steps below to back up Thunderbird emails in other formats.

Method 2: Save Thunderbird Emails in Different Formats

You can use a Thunderbird Add-on like ImportExportTools NG or third-party MBOX to PST converter software like Stellar Converter for MBOX to backup Thunderbird emails in other formats like HTML, CSV, PDF, and RTF.

NOTE: Newer versions of Thunderbird no longer support the ImportExportTools NG add-on.

The procedures are as follows:

Install the ImportExportTools NG Thunderbird add-on.

Then, to backup all emails, right-click your email profile and select ImportExportTools NG.

• Select the “Export all folders” option.
• You can also right-click a folder and choose ImportExportTools NG>Export all messages in the folder from the menu.
• To backup Thunderbird emails, select the desired file format.

Because the ImportExportTools NG add-on is no longer supported by the most recent Thunderbird versions, you can use Stellar Converter for MBOX to export and backup Thunderbird emails in a more convenient and faster manner. Additionally, the software exports and backs up Thunderbird emails in Outlook’s importable PST format and Office 365.

The procedures are as follows:

• The Stellar Converter for MBOX software should be downloaded, installed, and launched.
• Select Thunderbird from the Email Client drop-down list in the Select MBOX window.
• Then click Select File or Select Identity and navigate to the profile folder that contains MBOX files. The default location is C:Users*ProfileName*AppDataRoamingThunderbirdProfiles*Profile.default*.

• To begin the Thunderbird mailbox conversion process, click Convert.
• Following the conversion, all mailbox items are displayed in a tree format on the left pane. You can preview emails by clicking on them.
• Select the emails or email folders to convert, and then click Save Converted File.
• Choose the desired format, such as “New PST,” from the Save As window and click Next.

• Select a location to save the Thunderbird email backup as a PST file by clicking Browse.
• A Selected Items Converted and Saved Successfully message box will appear after the Thunderbird mailbox has been backed up and saved in the PST file. Select OK.

Using the Import/Export wizard, you can now import the backup PST file into any Outlook or Office 365 account.

Conclusion

Thunderbird emails must be regularly backed up because they may contain sensitive information and data. Backups aid in the recovery of emails that have become corrupted or lost due to events such as hard drive failure or system crashes. We covered a few methods for backing up Thunderbird emails in various formats in this guide. Stellar Converter for MBOX can quickly backup Thunderbird emails to Outlook-importable PST files, HTML, RTF, PDF, and Office 365. It also allows you to easily migrate MBOX mailbox data to Outlook and Office 365.

Other MBOX email clients supported by the software include Entourage, Spice Bird, Pocomania, Eudora, Apple Mail, Mulberry, Sea Monkey, Claws Mail, Opera Mail, Netscape, Mozilla Mail, Evolution, Mutt, Syphered, Cone, and GNU Mail.