How to Import MBOX to Thunderbird Mail Client?

Summary: If you use the Thunderbird email client, you may need to import an MBOX file at some point. Since MBOX is the native file format of Thunderbird, it should be easy, but Thunderbird doesn’t have a built-in import option. To do this, you need to install an add-on, which can be tricky for users who are not familiar with technical steps. In this guide, we will explain a simple step-by-step method to import MBOX into Thunderbird and also introduce an easier alternative for opening MBOX files in Thunderbird. Let’s get started!

The screenshot above is from a user we found on Reddit while browsing the internet. They were trying to open MBOX file in Thunderbird using ImportExportTools NG but couldn’t do it and were looking for an alternative solution. If you are facing the same issue, this blog will definitely help you!

In the next sections, we will explain three different ways to import an MBOX file into the Thunderbird app. We will cover both manual and automated methods, giving you multiple options to choose from. Read through them one by one and pick the method that best fits your needs.

How to Open MBOX File in Thunderbird Free?

First of all, make sure that you have installed the Thunderbird application on your system. Then, you can follow these steps and make your Thunderbird import mbox file.

Follow the below step-by-step guide to manually open MBOX in Thunderbird.

1. Launch the Thunderbird application on your system and navigate to the 3-line menu icon.

2. Now, click on that and choose “Add-ons and Themes” and proceed further.

3. After that, enter “Importexporttools” in the search bar and press the enter button.

4. Now, in the new tab, click on the “+Add to Thunderbird” option.

5. Thereafter, tap on the “Add” button to insert it into your Thunderbird application.

6. Now restart the Thunderbird client and then, go to Tools > ImportExportTools > Import mbox file.

7. Browse and select the MBOX file to add to Mozilla Thunderbird.

Done!! This is how to use Thunderbird to open MBOX file in its interface.

Note: If import MBOX File is disabled in Thunderbird, you can’t be able to use this method. So, users need to be careful while performing these steps.

How to Import MBOX File to Thunderbird Manually?

If you are using the Thunderbird 115 on your system, then there is an import option in your profile. It allows you to import your .mbox file into Thunderbird.  Let’s check ou the process.

1. Run the Thunderbird application and go to the dashboard.
2. Here, choose the Import option in Import from another program.
3. Next, select Import from a file and click Continue.
4. After that, choose Import Backedup profile and tap continue.
5. Next, click on choose a ZIP file >> continue.
6. Browse a zip file consisting of MBOX files and click open.
7. Now, choose the items to import and click Continue.
8. Lastly, recheck the data and click Start Import.

Now, Thunderbird will import the ZIP (.mbox) file.

Situation you can face – Sometimes in certain conditions Thunderbird Import/ExportTools NG doesn’t work, thus not allowing to import MBOX file. This situation can only be faced if you are using an old version of the Thunderbird. Although Thunderbird 115 has an in-built import feature, it is a time-consuming process. For a hassle-free import, try out the automated tool mentioned below.

How to Import MBOX Emails to Thunderbird Automatically?

For secure and efficient import, try out the Advik MBOX Converter tool on your system. The tool allows to import MBOX file created by any email client or server without any issue. To import your emails, run the tool and click on add file to open the MBOX file in Thunderbird. After that, from the multiple saving options, choose Thunderbird and start the import. The tool will save all your emails to the local storage in your system where Thunderbird app data is stored.

Additionally, it also gives an option to select an email folder so that you can import only the required data. Also, it open MBOX emails into Thunderbird 115, 102, 92, and older versions. Download the demo version of the software and know the complete importing.

Steps to Open MBOX File in Thunderbird Mail

Step 1. Run the software and add MBOX files & folders.

Step 2. Choose mailbox folders and then click the Next button.

Step 3. Now Select Thunderbird as a saving option.

Step 4. Click on the Convert button to start the process.

Done! The software will start copying or migrating emails from MBOX file to Mozilla Thunderbird.

Once the importing process is complete then open Thunderbird and check the imported MBOX file.

Watch How to Import MBOX to Thunderbird 115

Additionally, this tool also offers various advanced features that make the importing process so easy. Some of them are-

• Import MBOX to Thunderbird in bulk with full accuracy.
• Maintains the original structure of emails during the process.
• Allow to import multiple mBOX files at once without data loss.
• Various advanced filters to import selective emails.
• Directly Import MBOX file into Thunderbird’s user profile.
• Preserves data integrity and folder hierarchy.
• Simple GUI and 24/7 technical support team.
• Supports to open MBOX file Thunderbird 115, 102, 91, 78 versions.

Comparison of Methods

Feature	Manual Methods	Automated Solution
Time Required	Longer	Shorter
Technical Knowledge Required	High	Low
Bulk Import Capability	Limited	Yes
Data Integrity	Not Maintained	High

Final Words

Thus, how to convert MBOX file into Thunderbird blogs comes to an end. You can now understand how easy it was to upload MBOX file in Thunderbird using the manual and professional solution. After going through the above manual vs. automated solutions comparison table, you can understand which is better to choose. The manual method is easy but some drawbacks are unavoidable. To overcome these limitations, we have offered an instant approach that will directly import MBOX to Thunderbird 115/102/91/78 and more previous versions easily.