How to import old mail in thunderbird
Importing old mail into Thunderbird can be a bit of a process, but it's definitely doable. Here are the steps to follow:
Method 1: Importing from another email client
- Export your old emails: Go to your old email client (e.g., Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Live Mail, etc.) and export your emails to a format that Thunderbird can import. The most common formats are:
- EML (individual email files)
- MBOX (a single file containing all emails)
- PST (Outlook's proprietary format, but can be converted to MBOX)
- Create a new folder in Thunderbird: Create a new folder in Thunderbird where you want to import your old emails. You can do this by right-clicking on the "Local Folders" folder in the Thunderbird sidebar and selecting "New Folder".
- Import the emails: Go to the "File" menu in Thunderbird and select "Import..." (or press Ctrl+Shift+I). In the Import window, select the format you exported your emails in (e.g., EML, MBOX, etc.). Then, select the folder containing your exported emails and click "Open".
- Select the import options: In the Import window, you can choose to import all emails, or select specific folders or messages to import. You can also choose to import attachments, contacts, and other data.
- Start the import process: Click "Start" to begin the import process. Thunderbird will import your old emails into the new folder you created.
Method 2: Importing from a web-based email service
- Export your old emails: Go to your old web-based email service (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo Mail, etc.) and export your emails to a format that Thunderbird can import. The most common formats are:
- EML (individual email files)
- MBOX (a single file containing all emails)
- Download the exported emails: Download the exported emails to your computer.
- Create a new folder in Thunderbird: Create a new folder in Thunderbird where you want to import your old emails. You can do this by right-clicking on the "Local Folders" folder in the Thunderbird sidebar and selecting "New Folder".
- Import the emails: Go to the "File" menu in Thunderbird and select "Import..." (or press Ctrl+Shift+I). In the Import window, select the format you exported your emails in (e.g., EML, MBOX, etc.). Then, select the folder containing your downloaded emails and click "Open".
- Select the import options: In the Import window, you can choose to import all emails, or select specific folders or messages to import. You can also choose to import attachments, contacts, and other data.
- Start the import process: Click "Start" to begin the import process. Thunderbird will import your old emails into the new folder you created.
Tips and Variations
- If you're importing from Outlook, you may need to use a third-party converter to convert your PST files to MBOX or EML.
- If you're importing from a web-based email service, you may need to use a third-party add-on or extension to import your emails.
- You can also use Thunderbird's built-in "Import" feature to import emails from other email clients, such as Apple Mail or Entourage.
- If you're importing a large number of emails, you may want to consider using a third-party tool or service to help with the import process.