Mozilla Thunderbird stores user data in the .mbox (mailbox) format, which users cannot open directly in Microsoft Outlook without conversion. Therefore, users need a manual or third-party solution to transfer all emails from Thunderbird to PST format.
In this post, I will share all the possible manual methods and third-party tools for converting your emails from Thunderbird to Outlook PST format.
Note: Before proceeding, be sure to back up your mailbox.
How to manually convert emails from Thunderbird to Outlook?
The migration manual isn't overly technical, but you'll need some experience to perform all the migrations carefully. So let's start with the first manual method for exporting a Thunderbird mailbox to PST.
Method 1: IMAP Bridge: MBOX to Outlook Transfer
First, make sure your MBOX file is not orphaned, meaning you need to import it into an email client to configure the mailbox with IMAP. If it's not already in an email client, install Mozilla Thunderbird and import all your mailboxes into it after creating a dummy account.
- Once you have an email client with the MBOX file, set up an account between Gmail and the MBOX-based email client. Make sure IMAP is enabled in the Gmail account.
- Create a new folder within the account and drag all the emails into it.
- All emails are automatically synced to Gmail account. Once it is done and verified then go to next step.
- Setup an account between Gmail to Outlook to access mailbox in it.
That's it.
Method 2: For Older Versions of Outlook
If you are using an older version of Outlook, you can import the MBOX file into Outlook using the import/export feature.
- Go to your mailbox and change its extension, for example, inbox.mbox to inbox.mbs. (Both mbox and mbs are the same format, so don't worry about changing the format.)
- Open MS Outlook and go to the File tab.
- Select the Import/Export option.
- Choose "Import from another email address," then click Next.
- Select the Eudora 2x, 3x, and 4x option.
- Manually browse to the .mbs mailbox and load it into the software.
- Now, save the location and then click the Finish button.
Method 3: Change MBOX to EML then Import to Outlook
EML files are also supported in MS Outlook, but you'll first need to export the MBOX file to EML format. To do this:
- Import your mailbox into a Thunderbird account and then export it in EML format using the Import-Export add-on.
- Now, import the EML file into Outlook by dragging and dropping it.
Note: This method is required correct "handler" to enabled display in the Reading Pane.
Data migration is not a quick task; sometimes it takes one or two days to transfer all the data securely. Even if you know the migration steps, it requires considerable expertise.
What is professional method to move Thunderbird emails?
MailsDaddy Thunderbird to Outlook Converter is a Windows-based application designed to facilitate the seamless migration of emails from Mozilla Thunderbird to Microsoft Outlook. This tool is particularly useful for users transitioning from Thunderbird, which stores emails in MBOX or Maildir formats, to Outlook's PST format.
Key Features
- Automatic Profile Detection: The software can automatically detect and load Thunderbird profiles using the 'Auto Load' feature, simplifying the migration process.
- Manual Profile Browsing: For users who prefer manual selection, the tool allows browsing and selecting specific Thunderbird profiles or MBOX files for conversion.
- Multiple Export Formats: Beyond PST, the converter supports exporting emails to EML, MSG, HTML, MHTML, and RTF formats, providing flexibility for various use cases.
- Selective Migration: Users can choose specific folders or emails to migrate, ensuring that only relevant data is transferred.
- Batch Conversion: The tool supports batch conversion, allowing multiple Thunderbird profiles or mailboxes to be migrated simultaneously, saving time and effort.
- Retention of Data Integrity: It preserves the original folder structure, email formatting, attachments, and other metadata during the conversion process.
Read more: Thunderbird to Outlook
Free Download: Convert Thunderbird to Outlook
Final Line
If you want to export all your important data, consider a third-party solution. While you can export manually, it has some limitations, such as the inability to manage folder structures, headers, and inline images. Third-party tools offer a 100% secure solution for this. However, if you only have a few MB of data, the manual method is the best way to export your emails to a PST file.
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