How To Move Your Thunderbird Profile & Email To a New Windows Computer

Can also be used to backup and restore

Are you struggling to convert and move your Thunderbird profile, settings, and email to a new computer?

Many people choose to use Thunderbird as their email client for its many benefits including advanced spam filtering, a good reputation for being dependable, the ability to customize, a high level of security, support for email protocols such as SMTP, POP3, and IMAP, and more.

The instructions below can also be used tobackup and restore your Thunderbird data. These steps will outline how to copy your profile folder to a new PC manually.

Copy your profile folder from your existing computer to your new Thunderbird installation on your new computer to give it access to your files.

Where To Store Your Data

Before you can transfer your data to your new computer, you will need a place to store it.

There are many options you can choose from, such as a USB flash drive or a Cloud server like Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive.

The data you will want to transfer includes your:

Copying From Your Old Computer

Transferring Your Data To OneDrive

Now you want to go to the drive you are using to transfer your data. For this tutorial, let’s use OneDrive. But you could use a thumb drive or other cloud storage.

You are going to save or paste the Thunderbird data you copied from your old computer to OneDrive.

Your Destination Computer

On your new computer, click onOneDrive. Right-click on your Thunderbird folder and clickcopy.

By doing so, your data is already on your Windows clipboardbeforeyou install Thunderbird.

Install Thunderbird

Third-Party Tools

Thunderbird doesn’t have a built-in feature to export your profile, emails, and settings like Outlook does.

So you could manually move your files as outlined above. Or you could choose a third-party tool to help export everything you need quickly.

Below are a few examples of paid tools that you can use if you don’t want to transfer your files manually.

As we discussed above, before you can transfer your files, you need to make a copy or backup of them.

You can back-up all your Thunderbird data withThunderbird Backup Wizardand save it in various formats.

There is a limited free demo available. However, it will only give you an idea of how the software works.

In addition, you will only be able to back up 25 items from each folder. To benefit from the features of the product, you will need to purchase it.

Also a paid tool with a limited demo allowing only 25 backups per file,Thunderbird Migratoris another option that can help you backup your data.

The free and manual process described above to migrate your Thunderbird files to a new computer is easy-to-follow and straightforward.

More tech-savvy advanced users might be interested in using a paid tool for this process, especially if they manage several clients’ email programs.

Whether you choose the manual process or a third-party tool, once you transfer your Thunderbird profile and files, you can start using and enjoying it on your new computer.

David has a background in small business and lives in Australia. He is a WordPress and Ubuntu Developer who enjoys design, CSS and tech tool integration.Read David’s Full Bio

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How To Move Your Thunderbird Profile & Email To a New Windows Computer#

Where To Store Your Data#

Copying From Your Old Computer#

Transferring Your Data To OneDrive#

Your Destination Computer#

Install Thunderbird#

Third-Party Tools#